Watch as one family's micro mini pet pig, dog and cat team up in their mischievous and endearing adventures

FAQs – mini pigs as pets

Mini pigs require a community and this mini pig FAQ page is designed to be of utmost help to raising a mini pig.

NEWS UPDATE! There is now a mini pig forum on this site (Mini Pig Forum) where judgment is NOT permitted. Please feel free to contribute and bounce ideas off other mini pig parents.

Information on having a mini pig as a pet below…first please excuse my shameless plugs as I am trying to build up my shops! Thank you for your support.

Handmade wooden items, beautiful quality.

Other than our adventures with a mini pig, our other venture is woodworking (made by my husband, an Italian craftsman). Beautiful handmade items straight from a raw block of wood at The Treehouse Woodshop. Stunning items including handmade pens and matching cases, impressive presents. Mention you were directed to our shop from My Mini Pet Pig and you may qualify for a discount! Also like The Treehouse Woodshop Facebook page. Piggy items available and make some pretty wonderful gifts!

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Check out my most popular creation from my shop: a pig-inspired extra thick and strong mini pig rooting blanket that has been made to help many mini pigs feel safe, warm and comfortable:

This blanket is a pig’s best friend since it is thick enough to endure their strong rooting snout and allows them the comfort and security they need, especially when coming to a new home. Most pigs don’t like toys but they always love their blankets! You can order one for your piggy here. Pig tested (over and over again) and pig and mom approved.

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Mini pigs can make fabulous, unrivaled pets. They can be as affectionate as a dog or cat, cleaner and smarter than both and continually astound you with their aptitude for learning tricks. In fact, mini pigs might be the best kept pet secret around.

That said, there are many considerations when thinking of getting a mini pig as a pet. A mini pig may not be the right pet for you and you may not even be legally allowed to have one. So check below for all the information you need to consider before you embark on this wonderful 12-15 year mini pig adventure.

[A small caveat we feel is important to mention: We are fully in support of rescuing an animal that needs a home. We have never used a breeder before and never would for any other kind of pet. There are so many animals in need of a home and we have always adopted our pets from animal shelters or, in the case of our cats, the street.

Unfortunately, mini pigs are a small version of the potbelly pig and although there is no assurance that it will remain small, it will almost surely remain smaller than farm pigs usually available for adoption at animal shelters. If we had the space and time to work with an older pig, we would undoubtedly take in a pig in need of shelter. All pigs, mini or not, have the endearing personality we have come to love and a bigger pig would just mean more cuddle warmth. We wanted a piglet though to raise as our own, especially because we have two small kids and wanted to avoid any potential issues in training an older pig, so we went the breeder route for our pet pig.]

Below is a list of the essential considerations of having a mini pig as a pet. Please also see this page for specific necessary products.

Our pet shop, Coccolino Creations, on Etsy has items that your pet pig would love and that would help with their rooting habits. We are always happy to make custom items, just contact us. A percentage of the proceeds from every sale goes to helping animal shelter pets too!

This information refers to mini pigs, micro mini pigs, teacup pigs, juliana pigs, etc. Please keep in mind that all of these names are interchangeable and are not different kinds of breeds; rather, they are referring to the size of a potbelly pig.

1. Zoning Laws – Can you have a pet pig?

Before you even begin to think of having a little snorter slipping and sliding on your floors, you need to find out if it is legal. Pigs are considered livestock and not all towns will allow people to keep pigs in their area. In order to check, you need to call the municipality of the town in which you reside.

2. Is a Pet Pig the RIGHT PET – Do you have enough time to devote to a pet pig?

I get emails all the time from people asking how much they need to be home if they get a pet pig. Is a pet pig the right pet for them if they work outside the home?

My answer is usually leaning towards no. Depending on the circumstances, pigs do not like to be alone for too long unless they are raised with another pig to keep them company. They thrive on and require attention and love and will act out in ways you would most definitely want to avoid if they are left alone too long.

If you work outside the home full time, a pig is really not the best pet for you. They do not do well closed up for too long, be it in a crate or in a small room. They become destructive and potentially aggressive because they don’t know how to express that they are lonely.

Please think twice about a pet pig if you (or someone else) is not able to be with them at least on and off during the day. Pigs will show endless love but they require sufficient attention.

3. Local Veterinarian – Is a vet close enough to call in case of an emergency?

Assuming you can legally have a pet pig, you need to ensure you have a veterinarian who is experienced in dealing with pigs within reasonable driving distance. Although a pig’s health is typically excellent, you do need to make sure you can get the proper care if necessary. Call around as many veterinarians who deal with other livestock animals also deal with pigs, micro mini or otherwise.

4. Breeder – Who to choose?

Now comes the fun part. As we mentioned above, if you are interested in having a pig as a pet and are willing to accept an older/larger pig, we will help you locate a rescue pig. If you are adamant about having a micro mini pig and have the resources to get one, you need to ensure you use a reputable breeder. Micro minis can cost up to $5,000, depending on the breeder, however a healthy mini pig can be found for much less at $800-$1,000. That is still a hefty sum but you will not be able to find a micro mini for much less.

You will find a lot of classified ads for micro mini pigs but tread carefully as they are often extremely young farm pigs sold when they appear small enough to pass for a micro pig. Same goes for pig auctions. You have no way of relying on the size of the pig and we do not support these practices as they are often to the detriment of the pig’s health.

The best way to find a micro mini pig is to do some research online and contact several breeders. What you are looking for is a breeder that has a reasonable amount of breeding pigs at any given time; that the pigs are socialized from the beginning; that the breeder can answer any question you have; and that the breeder has paperwork from a licensed veterinarian that s/he will send you.

Make sure your pig is not taken away from the sow too early as nursing is very important to the healthy development of a pig. Before 8 weeks is too early.

If getting a male, make sure he comes to you neutered. A female cannot be spayed until about 12 weeks so that will usually be your responsibility. Either way, make sure your pig is fixed since this will help avoid behavioral issues as well as any unwelcome smells.

You will ultimately want to go with your gut instinct. Some breeders really care about their pigs and pride themselves on raising healthy socialized pigs. You need to find this kind of breeder so you are comfortable with what you are embarking on.

5. Taking your mini pig home – What to do once you get your pig home?

Most of the time, future mini pig parents cannot wait to tote their little piggy around like a puppy. Be forewarned that your pig will have absolutely no desire to be cuddled in your arms for the first day, second day, often third day, etc. It takes a lot of time and trust for the pig to accept being picked up. Some equate a pig’s squealing when picked up to torture and bullying; others simply say you must do it enough for them to get over it. Whatever the case and whichever way you choose to proceed, be patient and give it some time.

Make sure you have a special area reserved for your mini pig. That can be an area of five feet by five feet or an area as small as a child’s pack n’ play. The bigger is NOT the better as that leaves more room for accidents. Make sure you have a sturdy gate like Regalo Easy Step Walk Thru Gate, White that your mini pig cannot open with its strong snout. They can get past most simple gates (and create a mess of a lifetime when you think he’s safely contained) so make sure it’s a strong one!

However big the space is, put a good rooting pet bed like one from our shop (we’d love your support!) on one side of the space with plenty of blankets for warmth, rooting and security in the bed (again, please consider supporting our shop!) and the Marshall High Back Ferret Litter Pan(Colors May Vary) on the other. Make sure the pig can get in and out of the litter box. At first, a ferret litter box will do. We have found it easiest and cleanest to get a value pack of Four Paws Wee-Wee Puppy Housebreaking Pads, 150-Pack to put in the box, not any sort of litter that can be scattered about.

Potty training to go outside is very possible. In fact, most pigs prefer to defecate outside and urinate inside, though they will do both if necessary. Pigs are very flexible but prefer the same spot and will designate a spot for each in the outside area.

Just like a puppy, you need patience and persistence. You must expect and allow for accidents since pigs cannot hold their bladders until they are about ten months old. Make sure you set up a routine to take your pig outside first thing in the morning, right after breakfast and then every two or three hours after. He may not always go but you want to give him the option, just as a puppy.

Most pigs will need to go overnight until they can hold their bladder a little longer. Even if you are determined that your pig only go potty outside, you should still provide a litter box inside for overnight.

Rewarding your pig for going potty is often considered unwise. They will learn to manipulate and even trick you into thinking they are going just to get a reward and come inside and pee all over your carpet. On the flip side, sometimes a small reward is necessary to teach your pig to go to the bathroom outside or in their designated area so just be aware that it will inevitably come with some potential trickery on the pig’s part later on.

7. Feeding – What should I feed my mini pig?

Keep in mind that a pig should get ½ cup of food per 25 pounds of weight. So your little mini should get ½ cup of food total in a day, split into two portions: ¼ cup in the morning and ¼ cup in the evening. Small treats are okay, especially in the beginning and for training purposes, but they should be limited to one cheerio or a quarter of a grape, etc. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach or kale are great snacks during the day. They should also be able to graze when possible, though keep in mind that this means more water consumption and therefore will need to urinate more often.

Do not overfeed (or underfeed) your pig!

8. Socialization – How do I socialize my mini pig?

It is essential that you socialize your piglet from the start. Always choose a breeder that promotes socialization and contact but the job continues (or rather begins again) when arriving at your home. You need to be patient.

For the first day, let your pig get accustomed to being in his new space. Don’t give him free reign. Keep him in his small area and go in and sit with him. Do not try to force him to do anything. Sit and let him explore around you. Once he seems a little more comfortable, offer him a treat. This should be one of his food pellets since most pigs will not know what to do with a cheerio in the beginning. They soon learn, don’t worry! Once he takes the pellet from you, praise him but don’t try to reach out to him as this may scare him away and negate any progress.

Each day, try a little more contact. If your pig is getting skittish or scared, back off a little. You want your pig to be comfortable but you also need to establish contact so your pig understands the concept of being a social pet. This process might continue for a few days or even a couple of weeks. Try to spend as much time as possible with your pig so that he gets more and more comfortable.

If you have other pets, do the introduction slowly and behind gates so the animals can see each other but not touch each other. Do this for a few days with no contact beyond the gates. Remember that pigs are prey animals and will most likely be frightened. Do not stress your piglet. Let your pig show you the way by allowing him to initiate more interaction. Cats are usually pretty easy since they will come on their own time. Dogs might be more frightening to pigs so be patient. Never leave your pig alone with another animal, even if they appear fine. A little squeal might rouse a playful dog and even a playful pawing could result badly.

9. Picking up your pig – Can you pick up and hold a mini pig?

If your pig is demonstrating good behavior and seems at ease, you can also try to feed him a little while holding him in your arms. When you hold him, you MUST make sure his hooves are secured on your arm so he doesn’t have the feeling that his legs are hanging free. You want to hold him with his bottom on one side of your arms and his snout on the other, like a puppy. This will make him feel tight and safe. Also try putting your hand right up to his snout as that might comfort him.

Whenever you are ready to hold him, be it the third day or fifth or even first if you decide to push through the fear (not always recommended), make sure you praise him the whole time and give him treats in the beginning so he associates this with something positive. Never put your pig down mid-squeal as he will learn that he gets his way when he squeals. You must hold him through the squeal once you’ve started. This can be scary (and ear deafening) as he squirms and tries to jump but you cannot let him jump since he could get very hurt.

When he settles down from the squeal, put him down and praise him. Try again a little while later and do the same. The more he gets used to this being a good thing, the better he will get each time.

10. Maintenance – How hard is it to maintain a mini pig?

Maintaining a pig is very easy. They are hearty and do not require much health care. They are prone to mites and mange if exposed to other pigs, so look for any scratching or ear batting as well as any dry spots. This is easily fixed with a shot of Ivermectin. This can be administered by a vet or by you, if you are comfortable. It can even be given orally though make sure the dosage is correct.

You should brush your pig daily with JW Pet Company GripSoft Slicker Brush Soft Pin Dog Brush so they enjoy it. They will come to like this “massage.” Give him treats in the beginning so he learns this is nothing painful. Brushing will help with skin care and stimulate blood flow to help him have a shinier coat.

Bathing should not be done more than once a month since this will dry out your pig’s skin. He also does not need more than that, if an indoor pet. Pigs will not enjoy the bath so make it quick and efficient. Put a Rubbermaid Commercial Rubber Safti-Grip Bath Mat, Large, 16″ Width x 28″ Length, White in the tub (or a baby tub) and fill the tub with warm water and a tablespoon or two of baby oil. Sponge bathe him with the water and speak gently to him. Do not get water in his eyes or ears.

A vet should see your pig once a year, unless you have any concerns in which case you should bring him in.

11. Enjoy – How long can I expect to have my mini pig?

Your pig will live for 12-15 years and will make one of the most loving and loyal pets you will have. He will outsmart you, love you and want to cuddle with you every day. Give him the attention he needs and deserves and you will be very happy.

Remember to make sure your pig has plenty of blankets to root into. We would love your support of our Coccolino Creations Etsy shop, where a percentage of each purchase is donated to animal related causes or shelters!

We know how difficult it is to raise a pet mini pig and aim to provide answers to your most difficult mini pig questions. We try to answer within 24 hours but this is all on a voluntary and non paid basis.

Hello, it sounds like you need to slowly transition your pig to eating pig food. Sometimes pigs that have a habit of eating something that they prefer to pig food refuse to eat their food. You need to gradually mix in the pig food to their current food and you can do this by mushing it up so it is more disguised. Slowly increase how much pig food they are getting.

I Have a mini pig that is 4 months old how much do i feed him on piggy food,one person tell me 1/4 cup and other tell me 1/2.He is about 15 pounds already and was told he won”t get bigger then 25 pounds which i know that not true even when pay 1500.00 for him.Can they have kale too.Thank Joann

Hi Joann, thanks for visiting. If your pig is 15 pounds, he should get 1/2 cup of food such as Mazuri Mini Pig Youth pellets per day (see above for specifics). That means 1/4 cup in the morning and 1/4 cup in the evening.

However, that is not enough for your piggy. Kale is an excellent snack for him, as well as spinach, lettuce and other green leafy vegetables. I’m sure you’ve noticed your pig enjoys pretty much any snack he gets but vegetables are a great source of nutrition. Avoid too many fruits due to the sugar. Always provide fresh water, especially in the warm weather since this is the way pigs cool themselves off.

The term “mini pig” is very controversial for the exact reason you mentioned. Your pig will almost definitely be bigger than 25 pounds when full grown. Keep in mind that this term “mini pig” does not indicate a breed of pig; it just refers to the size of this very small Vietnamese potbelly pig (which is what mini pigs/micro mini pigs/juliana pigs/teacup pigs are). Your pig will grow for three years though the growth will slow down after one year. As much as you’d like to keep him small (wouldn’t we all!), it’s essential that he gets enough food based on his weight. It’s fun to say “mini pig” but all mini pigs are simply smaller sized potbelly pigs 🙂

Hi! I’ve been wanting a mini pig for a few years now and I’m finally in the position to get one 🙂 I found on Yahoo Answers that you got yours from Piggly Wiggly. Do you recommend this breeder? Did you have Cocco flown in?

I can’t decide between a male or a female. Do you prefer one over the other?

Thanks for your comment! Since you’ve been wanting a pig for a while and are commenting on this page, I’m assuming you’re already aware of the challenges that come along with having a pet pig 🙂

Cocco was flown in from Texas and it was traumatic but I think I was more traumatized by his behavior than he was by any plane ride. If you look back to the beginning of my blog, you will see what a hard time I had with him. Almost a year later, it’s still not easy and he would happily poop in my living room twice a day if he could. We have also had to completely inconvenience ourselves with baby gates and cabinet locks. It’s either that or garbage cans knocked down left and right.

I have mixed feelings on the breeder but I do believe the pigs are well cared for prior to leaving. No matter what anyone says, there is absolutely no guarantee your mini pig will stay mini. Pogo (who came to my sister at the same time and from the same place) weighs more than his supposed full grown weight but he is still small for a potbelly pig.

We preferred males so that they would come to us neutered. With females, you need to wait longer to spay them and we wanted it done beforehand and with experienced vets. Other than that factor, we would have been happy with either.

Amber I just got my piggy from piggly wiggly. She is already d oing great at useing a puppy pad for potting. The lady the owns it is very nice and helpful, my pggy came with heath check up and a micro chip incase she gets lost. I hsve only had my piggy 3 days but I Already love her.

Hi Amber – I too am mixed on the breeder. I have had Mo for 21/2 years now and he is HUGE! Although smaller than a pot belly his actually twice the size of his parents – 80lbs!!! He is very rough on the house at this size – bites & chews the doors, knocks down everything in his path. Lately he has gotten a bit aggressive, especially with strangers so i am trying to break him of his wanting to bite. I do love him to pieces but training almost seems like an everyday event!! Please don’t get me wrong, he is VERY smart – so he knows who he can nip at and get away with it. I just have to completely break him of the habit. I fear that because of his size he could really inflict some serious damage on someone.

Wow, that is so tough and you must have never ending patience! I have to have so much patience with Cocco (mostly potty issues) and he is still small and doesn’t bite or chew. I don’t know how you handle that! Mo is a lucky pig 🙂

I have a 2 yr. old female who recently started nipping…only at men who she thinks are invading her space..like our gardener and overnight guests. She puts her head down and charges at them and if they jump away then she wins. She doesn’t really understand if I scold her because it’s never done to me so we’ve started arming our guests with spray bottles. The person she’s nipping needs to give her a little squirt of water and forcefully say NO! She needs to know who the boss is!

That’s a very good response to this action and unfortunately this behavior does sometimes rear its ugly head. If you are consistent, hopefully she will understand, but maybe if you have a “guinea pig” man around that could spend some time sitting with her and petting her to desensitize her it might help! Thanks for sharing.

I had a potbelly pig that had the same behavior. I came to the conclusion that she enjoyed scarring the kids (She would not do this to adults) The kids showed fear and she would take advantage of this!

So I a having a similar problem. Cupcake is wonderful but a week ago I let me dog stay at a friends and when he came home, cupcake wants to attack him constantly. Can someone tell me why in 2 days did the pig start hating the dog that she used to love?

I know I’m replying to a old post. It may help others though…..you just need to bathe your dog when he gets home. He smells different, maybe like another animal or person.
I have a 3 yr old pig and 7 yr old dog. When my dog gets groomed we must rebath her when we get home or “tula” charges her.
After the bath….all is back to normal.

I bought a mini pig a month ago. It was 16 lbs and is not 22 lbs. I have now come to the conclusion I have been over feeding him. I am not sure what to do to turn this around. i feed him a 1/2 cup mazuri at 7am with fruits and vegetables, and more fruits and vegetables at noon and then 1/2 c mazuri at 6:30 with more fruits and vegetables. I am sure he is now used to eating like a king and will have a fit if I get off his schedule. But every website I have read recomends feeding him like a bird. Please help! Any advice?
Thank you
Wendy

Hi Wendy, thanks for your message. As Joann asked, how old is your pig? He must have been somewhat older if you got him at 16 pounds (unless he wasn’t a “mini pig” to begin with).

It would be very difficult to cut back, as you imagine. What I would suggest is to very gradually begin decreasing his food intake. Don’t start cutting out altogether as that will be confusing and upsetting.

Also, instead of feeding him many fruits, concentrate more on the low calorie vegetables, particularly greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, etc. And grass of course if that’s a possibility. Fruits contain so much sugar that it’s better to limit them.

I think if you can cut back a tiny bit at a time, you will be successful. Keep weighing him, though, because the more he weighs, the more food he will need to be healthy.

I’m afraid he may never stop doing that! Rooting is very natural for pigs so he will always do that when he can. As for the flowers, some pigs are attracted to certain flowers so there may be nothing to do about that one either.

I would suggest gating off an area for your pig outside. There are pet gating options for outside that you can purchase relatively inexpensively online. Good luck!

We never leave our mini pig and 115lb pit alone but in our animal relationship pigiie is the boss and she has only been in the house 2 months and we have had the pit for 2 years she came right in and put herself at the top of the pack and both my pits just let her. it is the chihuahua whom tries to bite her whenever she comes by him

That’s so exciting, congratulations and stay patient! I have a lot of info based on my experience on here so just reference that and email with any further questions.

When you’re out, it is essential to leave your pig contained in a small area. Review my little “room” ideas on the FAQ page because your pig will need her own room. It should simply have a pet bed, blanket/s, fresh water and a litter box on the opposite side of the bed. Even if you are only doing outdoor potty training, you need to provide a space for your pig in case it needs to go to the bathroom (though I won’t promise you the pig will always go in the right place!).

Cocco is now one but we still leave him contained. Sometimes we open his area a little wider to include the kitchen (making sure he can’t get into any messes), but it’s definitely a good idea to keep the pig contained in even a smaller area when you’re out.

Try to provide some stimulation too. It’s not a good idea to leave a pig too long alone because s/he will get lonely. If you only have one pig, try to arrange someone to stop by and play. I’d never recommend a single pig if you work or have to be outside the home for too long because they are not the kind of animal you can let roam free in the home.

Hi! I have a question for you! I have a mini pig he’s 6 weeks old. He came to me at a very early age. Anyway his room is my bathroom with a baby gate and I saw pictures of your pig in the house free and even in the yard without a harness or leash. At what age did you start trusting him to explore?

I hate to say it but I still don’t fully trust Cocco, after a year. He gets into everything, makes a huge mess and still sometimes has accidents.

What we usually do is gate him off in a certain part of the house and that’s better, just inconvenient.

At six weeks, he should be very limited and only allowed to a bigger area once he has gone potty. Pigs can’t really hold their bladder until they are ten months old so I would recommend keeping his space limited until you see he is holding his bladder.

As for the yard, I trust him if we are right there but never let him loose if we aren’t outside with him. It’s helpful to have a designated area gated off, for potty and rooting.

Hi, I’ve always wanted a pig and I’m finally getting one!
but I have a few questions, like, how do you train it to use the bathroom outside, and where do you get the food pellets? What kinds if shots do they need?

Congratulations! A mini pig is an exciting, if overwhelming, pet to have 🙂

If you read through the FAQs, you should be able to find some responses to your answers. Training to go outside is very possible though you need determination and lots of patience. Mini pigs (and pigs in general) cannot hold their bladders well until they are 10 months old so that means many trips to the designated area and many months of persistence. Rewards are often helpful to reinforce positive behavior.

Mazuri youth pig pellets can be found at larger farm and feed stores or online.

Make sure you have certified documentation from a vet before your pig comes to you (all reputable breeders should provide this) and assuming all goes well your pig won’t need to be seen for a year.

We just got a tea cup piglet on Friday. He is very scared. He won’t eat food. I have had to feed him with a syringe (baby cereal + ensure) according to the breeder. He has diareah (normal according to the breeder since he is stressed). He screams every time we pick him up. Don’t know how to get him to eat. He is drinking water occasionally, but seems a bit listless today. We got this pig for my daughter (14 years old) and it just does not seem to be going as easily as we expected. Any tips would be helpful. How long does it take for them to start eating normally again? Thank you

Hi Judy, it can be so stressful at first. It is definitely normal that he has diarrhea and that might last a few days. If more than that, you should definitely bring him to a vet to check out. How old is he? He sounds very young and if this is the case (younger than about 8 weeks) you should bring him to a vet asap because it is essential he is getting the necessary nutrients.

It is normal that he screams when you pick him up. Please read over all the FAQs and you will find suggestions and observations regarding this behavior.

Having a mini pig is anything but easy, especially in the beginning. You need persistence, patience and acceptance that a mini pig as a pet is always going to be a challenge. Eventually, once a bond forms, he will show you endless love and cuddles but it is a lot of work to make it to that point.

Please feel free to contact me via email with specific questions. Hang in there and please bring him to a vet immediately if he is lethargic or not eating enough.

Thank you so very much for the quick reply!! You made my day. I just got back from the vet. He was dehydrated from the diahreah so they gave him fluids. They gave him antibiotics too. I am force feeding him every hour with goats milk and baby cereal. 5 CC’s at a time. He is just plain miserable right now. But we are just going through it. We did not realize how much work it would be at first. He is 12 weeks old so not too young. I still have to get used to the screaming as it is a bit unnerving right now. I just hope he pulls through this. He is only 2 lbs. so we have to wait and see. I have not found a website that has addressed some of these issues. He will even bite if you get near his mouth when he is picked up. He does need to learn a few manners. Please pray he eats and gets used to us. We really like him he just seems sad right now!!!

I am so relieved to hear you brought him to the vet. It sounded like he really needed that and hopefully know that you know what he needs he will be just fine.

The screaming was the biggest shock to me when we first got Coccolino. I honestly had no idea and didn’t realize the amount of effort that had to go into getting him to be comfortable. You need to push through it at the worst but make sure he feels safe the whole time and hold him very tight. With his current condition it might be best to wait on picking him up since that will cause further stress.

Make sure he gets the nutrients he needs to get back to good health and then begin working with him, particularly on the biting! Best of luck and please stay in touch with updates.

Hi, I just wanted to give you a quick update. Mr. Pigglesworth is doing very well. He is eating his baby rice cereal and goats milk like a champ now. However, I do have a question that I can’t seem to get answered so I was wondering if you could give me a bit of guidance. Supposedly he was eating pig chow when I got him, but then had a sudden turn for the worse due to stress, so I had to give him baby cereal mixed with goats milk. He refuses to eat his pig chow. As a matter of fact, he won’t even eat his baby cereal unless I am feeding it to him in a syringe. He won’t eat it out of a bowl. He seems very stubborn or does not know how to eat out of a bowl, not sure which. Breeder said I should try to give him baby food fruit etc. I tried that, even in the syringe and he won’t eat it. He ONLY wants baby cereal and goats milk. I am very afraid to be very strict about it cus I almost lost him from all the diarreah he was having. I want to transition him over to his pig food ASAP, but can’t seem to get him to eat it. Any help with this would be appreciated. He is a very picky little guy, but very happy now. He even has a little belly on him, so cute.

Thank you for the update! I’m glad he is on a good path now though I can understand your frustration.

While you certainly don’t want to test the waters on such a delicate matter as his health, make sure you keep in the back of your mind that pigs are very intelligent and manipulative (though sometimes endearingly so!).

What I would suggest is starting over. Instead of trying to completely transition, do it very gradually. See if you can soak the pig pellets in the goats milk and microwave until they are very mushy and almost more of a thicker liquid. Try to encourage him to eat this from the syringe at first, then eventually move to a plate. Make it less liquidy each time but do maintain some of that goats milk mixed in for a while. Do it all slowly so the first few days you still do the syringe but it’s a mix. Then transition to a plate or shallow dish but hold him as you give him the dish. Then work on him eating independently.

Pigs do not like change and they also LOVE goats milk. So you might have to keep the goats milk around a bit to entice him to eat the pellets. You do need to push the change but do it at a pig’s pace 🙂

He sounds like an insufficiently weaned “bottle baby.” I know of pig owners who, upon discovering their new pig’s obsessive attachment to a syringe or bottle, return it to the mother until the mother calls an end to the nipple nonsense. So don’t yield to the pig’s bottle infatuation, teasing it with teat-like servings, etc., or it will control you with its narcissistic tantrums. Back down gradually but firmly. It’s unlikely that, when you decide to wean it, the pig will starve itself. Meanwhile, be there for it, but take care not to feed it food as a reward for eating! Distract it with a toy or blankets and give treats only when the pig has earned them–a good sit, a spin, a figure-8.

Some owners enjoy bottle feeding their spoiled baby. In the long run, they come to regret it–especially when the pig squeals uncontrollably when a stranger (or relative or friend) comes to the door because it sees your attention to anyone but the pig as a threat to its position in the “herd.” Remember the 2 pig universals: 1. They won’t do anything they’re told to do without first asking: “What’s in it for me?” 2. They’re prey animals and consequently herd animals, knowing they can’t survive without the herd’s help. Once you purchase a pig, you’re agreeing to become the member of what the pig will see as a herd.

Hi there,
We picked up our mini pig, one week ago today, we are loooooving him! He is super friendly, very happy in the car and loves his bed, he is eating well and being cheeky! I just have a question about the noise he makes…….he never ever stops making noise (aside from when he is asleep) he makes a snorting sound with every single breath, and sometimes a squeak in there too!!! He is awake most of the day, therefore is noisy alllllll day!!!
Thanks heaps!
Jacinta

Hi Jacinta and congratulations on your lil piggy! How lucky for you that he is so good to start off with. Cocco was anything but good or easy or even enjoyable – it took work to get him to be our sweet friendly little mini pig that we knew was behind all of that squealing!

As for the noise, it is absolutely normal and it pretty much never stops (Cocco is snorting AND grinding his teeth as I write this). A mini pig’s teeth grinding is one of the more irritating sounds but it is normal for them to do it. As for snorting, grunting, squealing, kissing, etc., all those noises are normal too. Cocco is almost never quiet unless he is sleeping and even then he still grinds his teeth or grunts if he hears me approaching!

Keep enjoying and keep us posted. Having a mini pig is hard work sometimes so you’re lucky that yours is so easy 🙂

Please help i have a 5 week old mini pig her name is Tilly. Ivr had her for 5 days and I love her to death but she has a very bad biting problem and i dont know how to make her stop do you have any suggestion? Thank you!

Hi, I have had my pig Bernard for about a week now, he is six weeks old and for six weeks old he’s doing remarkably well. He’s only ever had accidents when he wasn’t able to get to his litter box on time and that was my doing. He loves the back yard and follows me so leash and harness training wasn’t hard at all.

However, getting the harness on is difficult because he fights it and I’m not sure how to really be patient with him because he gets too excited for the treats and you can’t really get him to step into the harness. He also is quite bitey, I understand that he is teething and bored but I really don’t want his behaviour to progress into biting. I’m wondering if you have any training tips for his basic house training. He also tips over his dishes all the time regardless of them being no slip. And with holding him it really seems as though when he is okay with it thats fine, I’ve been told to hold him with his head between my arm and body and make it feel like being snuggled by the other pigs, I’ve been trying to hold him through his screaming and the screaming has lessened a lot but is there a proper way to hold him or should I just keep up with the secure feet and head snuggled?

That is wonderful that Bernard will stay in the harness and it’s great that you started at such a young age.

We know how difficult it can be to get a mini pig to step into a harness. Instead of using just any treat like a cheerio or veggie, try something that he has to work at. It might not be appealing, but spread some peanut butter onto your floor so that he has to lick it up (don’t worry, he’ll do a good job!) and make sure you position the harness right in front of where he will stand. That might help.

As for biting, you need to discourage this immediately. If you think it’s because he is bored/teething, then provide him with some stimulation or distraction. Whatever you do, do not give him a treat to occupy him right after he bites because he will associate the biting with a reward. Tell him no firmly and then remove him from the situation, putting him in his space for distance. Stay consistent with how you discipline him.

As for the dishes, there isn’t really going around this. They tip because that’s how they use their snout. The best you can do is put a placemat underneath or something to absorb the mess.

Pigs just don’t like to be held. If you are determined to hold him then just stay patient and try wrapping him in a blanket first. You need to make sure his feet are completely touching your arms so they aren’t dangling. It sounds like you are doing it right, it just might be that he hasn’t experienced this enough to feel safe. Try taking a step back and sitting with him while holding him so there is less distance to the floor.

Wow! I love reading all of this and especially the comments and seeing you reply right away! Very very helpful! We are looking into getting a mini pig soon! I have been reading a lot of websites to get ready for our new little guy and reading all this was so helpful, thank you again! I will be sure and save this web page so I can refer back or even ask questions!
Thank you!
Ami

My mini pig is almost 2 years old. Every once in a while he will pee on the floor. It’s like he does it a couple times but then will not pee on the floor for a few months and then out of no where he does it again. Any suggestions on how to correct this behavior?

Hi Elaine. This is something very frustrating about mini pigs. My first question would be is if your pig is stimulated enough? Is he closed up a lot? It tends to happen when a pig is feeling bored or closed away. At this point he can hold his bladder so it is not about control of bladder, more control of the situation. Feel free to email me and we can work through the problem.

Hi! I’ve been wanting a mini pig for a while and just managed to stumble across your blog, I raise show and sell a pig for ffa each year last year was the last year I was allowed to do this. So finally I thought it was time to buy one. I’m not sure how to go about doing so, or if I should believe the rumors that mini pigs are a myth. If possible I’d much wrather have this than a dog

Hi and thanks for your comment. There is a lot of consideration when getting a mini pig and they are nothing like dogs as pets. Please feel free to email me with questions because is a big decision! katie at myminipetpig.com

Hello. My son and I have had our mini pig, Sophie, since she was 4 weeks old. She is great and we love her to pieces but she won’t sleep longer than a couple hours at night. She wakes the whole house up squealing. I have switched her feeding to before bed (hoping that going to bed on a full stomach would help). I have not had a full nights sleep in about a month. Any suggestions?
Thanks or your help!

Hi and thanks for your comment! It sounds like having an infant. We have dealt with that and it’s not fun.

First and foremost, as hard as it may be, do not go see her while she is squealing because she will just learn that her squealing pays off. If you’re sure it’s not because she is hungry and thirsty, you have to figure out what it could be. Most pigs do sleep well unless something wakes them. Is there anyone or any other pets that might be waking her? Is there a way to close the door to wherever she is so she realizes it’s bedtime – and quiet time – until you wake up in the morning? You’ll want to set the mood for bedtime with dark and quiet.

A good idea to start is to get into a routine, much like with a baby. Sit with her as you put her to bed and let her cuddle. Cover her with lots of blankets to get her warm and sleepy. Read her a book if you want! Then, when she understands it’s time for bed, leave her covered up in her bed and tell her goodnight. Close the door if you can, turn off all lights near her, and don’t go back until the morning.

You may need to invest in a good sound machine or ear plugs but the best way to get her to stop squealing is to ignore her until she realizes her squealing leads to nothing.

In that case, could it be that she has to go to the bathroom? The few times I’ve slept with Cocco it didn’t work because he would squeal too. If your son would be willing, maybe try to see how it goes with her in her own little room.

Thanks for the help:) she actually sleeps with my son at the foot of his bed or on the floor next to his bed. I did start using earplugs and it has helped. I’m hoping that as she gets older she will sleep longer at night. After reading some of your info I’m hoping it’s because she has to pee. Sophie is only 3 months old. It really does feel like having an infant in the house.

I have a mini micro Juliana mix piggy who is now 4 months. She is currently 3 pounds. Recently I upped her food to a half a cup per day (1/4 each feeding) and she is seeming to fill out. She has a bigger belly now and some chubs. I think she was the runt, but concerned I’m under feeding…. I give her treats (popcorn, Cheerios, peanut butter mini training treats, grapes, raisins, etc..) but her mom was only 17 pounds and dad 15 (both 5 years old). Did I just get lucky, or is this normal for certain pigs? She’s super active, healthy according to the vet, loves to play, cuddle, etc. I guess I’m just wondering if I need to feed her more at this stage? I can’t get her fixed until she is 6 or 7 pounds.

Hi and thanks for your comment. Three pounds at four months is TINY! You have what most people who get a mini pig truly want so consider yourself lucky. Cocco was a runt too so I think that is a factor.

She should definitely be on 1/4 cup of food per feeding (as should any pig weighing up to 25 pounds) so that is important so that she gets enough of the nutrients from her pellets.

It sounds like you are supplementing with other things and that’s helpful to ensure she gets enough calories. However, rather than feeding her too many treats or sugary fruits, it’s better to give her lots of vegetables, particularly green, such as kale, spinach, broccoli, etc.

Just as you don’t want to underfeed your pig, you also don’t want to overfeed her. She might just be a very small pig and you shouldn’t give her more than she needs, just as any pet. If the vet says she is healthy, you are one lucky mini pig parent 🙂

Penelope is a brat and won’t eat her vegetables. She hates carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, etc. she is picky. But thanks for the assurance. She has been filling in a little more the past few weeks. At 3 1/2 months old she was still 2 and a half pounds. I was worried we were under feeding her but we have been giving her a half cup since we have had her as recommended. I’m guessing a she’s just gonna stay tiny. We did get her at 4 weeks old and although she was weened and eating solid food then, I think perhaps this didnt help in her maturing process. Nonetheless she is really great with people now and actually doesn’t mind being picked up or held. She lays on our shoulder and often nips at our feet to pick her up. I would suggest a pet pig over any other house pet. She knows tricks (sit, circle, plays with ball) and is house trained. We are actually getting another from the same breeder in January to get her a friend. How are they territorial wise? Sharing of litter box, bed, food, etc. I know we should keep food separate, but other than normal banter between pets, do they naturally get along well?

Wow, she honestly sounds like a model mini pig. They don’t come around too often.

That is incredible that she won’t eat vegetables. I bet if you cut out some of the other stuff she would start to love them. It’s never easy because if you let them dictate they will run all over you.

That’s wonderful you are getting another one and a new friend for her to play with. Since Penelope is so young, you shouldn’t have many issues . . . yet. They definitely form a hierarchy and often fight to prove their position but once they’ve worked out who is “top pig” they usually are fine. At such a young age, though, I would only worry about the little one coming since it will likely be even smaller than Penelope. Just introduce them slowly and don’t necessarily expect the same thing from the new mini pig since they aren’t all so good and easy!

As for sharing, you’ve got it on the food. Absolutely separate bowls for water and food and separated while eating. As for the rest, they will likely want to share a bed a cuddle together which is great. They will be fine to share a litter box if they use one but you might want to have two (depending on what you use to line it). I think you will find they will love being together but remember two is definitely more work than one!

Haha! Absolutely and I’m hoping Penelope will teach the new piggy the ways of the land. One more question. I know the burrowing is a must but she seems to only like burrowing on me and blankets. She won’t outside. I tried putting large pins rocks in a bin and food under to teach he to burrow but she mistook it for a litter box after a couple minutes and went in it. Any other ideas? She won’t graze or root outside. Even when I water the ground to try and make some mud.

Yes careful with those litter box looking rooting bins 🙂 Doesn’t quite get the same result as desired.

Take her rooting on you as a good sign. She fully trusts you and feels safe with you. I used to remember wishing Cocco would root on me in the beginning and he finally started to after a week or two and I felt like such a proud parent to have created that important bond.

If there is grass outside and she won’t root or try to eat it, give her time. She will probably learn to enjoy that. If she doesn’t, it’s not all that important if she doesn’t think it’s important (and as long as you aren’t counting on that as a supplement to her diet). Pigs actually only use the mud to protect themselves from the sun so likely she doesn’t feel the inclination to do that since she isn’t living outside full time.

Cocco still roots all the time into his favorite blankets on his pet bed. That satisfies his urge to root, especially when it’s too cold to go outside. So if she is fine with that, she is probably very happy 🙂

I tried letting Penelope root on something else indoors. I’ve read of people building rooting boxes with plywood and 2x4s and putting pond rocks in it. My house is kinda small so I can’t designate a lot of space to that. I tried making a portable one out of a small container and Penelope did like to root in it, but then thought it to be a place to go to the bathroom too… It was a box similar to her litter box so I can’t be mad at that. Other than that, I dunno…

See other response 🙂 If you are looking to create some stimulation, try plastic balls like from a child’s ball pit in a plastic bin, not rocks. They are a little less rough. Put some pellets scattered in there and watch her go crazy.

Yes, rooting onto people is a sign of trust and affection and it is sweet but it does hurt. If you want to stop this habit, do so gently so it doesn’t disrupt the bond she’s formed. Begin to put a blanket (or two) between you and Oreo so she roots into the blanket onto you. You are still there for her to root into but the blanket will separate you. The bigger the pigs get, the less this happens so try to find this temporary solution for now.

As for the biting, that’s really not a good thing. Never hit her to dissuade her from biting but it does need to be stopped. Remove her from the situation when your mom is around in the beginning. Then, after a while of no contact, try an olive branch. Have your mom approach Oreo gently, talking quietly to her, and have your mom give her a lick of peanut butter or cream cheese or anything really to associate your mom with something desirable. I hope that helps!

My daughter brought home a mini pig 2 years ago. Told us it would only get 35 lbs. He is now 130 lbs. He is a great addition to the family with our bassett hounds. He loves his blankey, loves sleeping alot… does not like baths, water, rain, mud, dirt. He slept in the bed with me and the dogs until he reached 98 lbs and then my husband said, he was not carrying him up and down the steps. He is fed pig food and daily celery, sometime tomatoe and a piece of fruit. Celery is his favorite and the dogs now expect a stalk of their own.

forgot to add, he goes to the Pig doctor every 6 mths to get his hooves and tusk shaved down and gets his shots as needed. We learned alot about him as we went through his stages, especially when he hit about 15 mths old and wanted to be the top pig in the house. We know his grunting sounds, how he positions his tail. He along with our dogs are part of the family… Just Wish our kids were just as obedient.

Thank you so much for sharing. How wonderful to hear how well he has fit in with your family. It is great to hear he has even formed a great relationship with your dogs. I cannot imagine a “mini pig” sharing a bed at 98 pounds!

Thanks again for getting in touch; it’s so wonderful to hear these stories 🙂

Hi, a friend of mine told me that I should never share my plate with my mini pig. Like sometimes I let my pig to finish up some vegetables from my plate, and I was told that it is not healthy for me since pigs saliva contains germs. Is it true? Can you back up you answer please if you can?

Hello 🙂 If you mean, should you give your mini pig a lick of your ice cream cone while you are eating it, I’d say that’s not a good idea just as it isn’t with a dog, cat, etc. If you are just letting your pig clean your plate when you’re done and going to wash it, I do that all the time (then the dishwasher). Your friend might be thinking of farm animals/pigs that live among other animals and are not indoor pets.

I have no hard evidence but if your pig is living in your home and not engaging with other animals that do not live in your home, I would not worry. If you are worried about this, simply drop the vegetables on the floor because your pig will surely lick it all clean!

We have a mini pig named peppa for about 6 weeks now..shes growing fast…shes about 10 to 11 pounds now at 4 and half months. ..I feed exactly 1/4 twice day mizuri and bowls of greens on occasion. ..we also walk abiut 2 miles a night! She runs right along with me and my 4 year old…I planned in getting her spayed but the breeder and several vets have said they dont recommend it..any suggestions on that…

The vets may not recommend spaying because after watching The Incredible Dr. Pol show last night it is apparently very difficult to spay a mini pig. Even Dr. Pol had to get help from Dr. Brenda to get it right. Apparently the uterus of a pig looks very much like their intestines and it is difficult to identify them correctly. Cutting into the intestines by mistake can be life threatening. I would find a different vet who is confident in their skills.

Hello,
I have been searching forever for a website like yours!! Thank you so much for all your help, as with everyone else I to have questions, I have an awesome breeder who has been super helpful but she is going through a terrible ordeal right now and hate to keep bugging her. So my thing is Remington our nano pig is roughly 8 weeks old and approx 4lbs. He too has some of the same issues which I can over look, but the one thing I am having the most issue with is he won’t EAT!! He will drink water, he will drink the Nurse All milk, he even eats his darn pine shavings for his litter box although we Strongly discourage it!! He has even been sneaky and eaten some dog food, but he refuses to eat his Mazuri Mini pig food, or anything else for that matter, he won’t eat cheerios, grapes or ANYTHING!! Im just worried he being picky and we are letting him get away with it!! Do I continue to let him just drink the Nurse All?? I mean I was told that “he is a pig, and he won’t starve himself” but HE IS!! He will even lick and eat the mud off my husbands boots for crying out loud, but let it be actual food….and nope, he is’nt touching it!! Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi, I’m so glad I can help! It sounds like you have a case of spoiled piggy 🙂 His weight sounds good so he is getting his calories but pigs will do anything to keep getting their yummy milk. He just doesn’t want to give it up yet so he is being stubborn as most pigs are.

I’ve had a few people contact me regarding this same problem and my suggestion is the same.

Instead of trying to switch over completely to food, do it very gradually. See if you can soak the pig pellets in the nursing milk and microwave until they are very mushy and almost more of a thicker liquid. Make it less liquidy each time but do maintain some of that milk mixed in for a while so it is a gradual transition.

Pigs do not like change and they also LOVE milk. So you might have to keep the milk around a bit to entice him to eat the pellets. You do need to push the change but do it at a pig’s pace so it isn’t overwhelming.

Also, FYI, Cocco refused to eat any treats in the beginning. No cheerios, raisins, etc. I couldn’t believe it. About a week or so later, it was all I could do to stop him 🙂 Your lil piggy probably just hasn’t been exposed to them yet so doesn’t realize how good they taste!

Just wanted to update, our lil man is doing EXCELLENT!! Your advice worked almost immediately!! within a day he was eating his pellets!! He is now eating cabbage and beginning to settle into life here. We backed up regrouped and took it at his pace and it was worth it!! He is such a cuddle bug now and seems to think he is a dog lol a dachshund at that lol. Anyhow thanks again for all you do!!

Hi everyone, I have been reading this blog for an hour now and I have to say as the pig-mommy of 2, I am thrilled to find such a great resource. I wanted to make a suggestion regarding the spoiled piggies and their milk to anyone who is struggling with this issue. When we brought Stella home at 6 weeks of age, she was being bottle fed goat’s milk, and would not eat ANYTHING else. I tried everything from soaking the pellets to putting the milk in a bowl and she just would not give it up. I went through WEEKS of this little rascal chasing me around the house screaming and rooting on my ankles until I gave her a bottle. What finally worked for me was diluting the milk a little at a time, while leaving her pellets in her bowl and available to her 24/7. Eventually, as her milk got more and more watered down and her appetite was not being satisfied, she started to nibble on her pellets. After 4 days of this, she was eating 1/2 cup of pellets a day without any trouble. By day 3 there was only water in her bottle. I took the bottle away completely on day 4, and held a pacifier for her to suckle when she chased me for a bottle. After 20 or 30 seconds of suckling she realized there was no milk coming out and gave up. I only needed to do this 5 times before it was no longer necessary. I know this sounds kind of crazy but I had tried everything else and would have tried anything at this point! Anyhow, just thought I would share for those who are in the same boat.

Hi there,
I would like some input on why our teacup pig passed away this morning… He was 10 weeks old, stayed inside with us and ate nothing but drank regular milk out of the carton…. we got him at 2 weeks old we have taken him to the vet and he has received shots the vet said he was healthy. When he was passing, it was like he couldn’t get enough air almost like he was suffocating, when he woke up he seemed fine just like every other morning. He laid down on his side which he never has done and little to no time of him trying to catch his breathe he took his last…. I hate to put such a sad post but this was our first pig and we have no clue why or how this happened. Is it possible to get an autopsy on him? Informational feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Oh no, this is terrible. I am so sorry to hear about this and so sorry for your loss.

To begin with, I’m not sure why he was drinking milk like that but he definitely should have been eating. So that might be a big tie in as to what happened and I’m not sure why the vet did not advise you otherwise. Did you speak to your vet regarding this?

As for an autopsy, I am sure that can be arranged if there is someone in your area though I have no idea how much that might cost.

Please do speak to your vet and let me know. He definitely should not have been drinking milk like that.

Hello! I just got my pig, Ziggy on November 2nd! We bought him at a pet shop called ‘Villagio Family Pets’ and got him unneutered. My little family and I went to visit his parents and they are BOTH 30-35 pounds and I was wondering if Ziggy will turn out to be that same size? I also have a few more questions like
*when should we get him neutered(he was born 9/20/13)
*is it possible to get him trained to be a service animal for my father? And if so, can you help me find out how and where to get him signed up for this
*Is there a site where I can buy him toys and things that are specifically made for pigs?
He is a very happy and funny little guy! We already have 4 dogs(2 pitbulls, a basset hound, and an australian sheperd) My oldest dog, Jimmy, the 4 yr.old pitbull, is the most trustworthy dog ever! As an experiment, I put a camera, Jimmy, and Ziggy in the room and watched them from the camera. It was the first time they really interacted and Ziggy started running around the Jimmy wagging his little tail while Jimmy was just laying there watching him and acted as if he were another dog. Soon after, Ziggy started jumping on Jimmy playing with his ears and Jimmy just lay there as if nothing were happening. After about playing for 5 minutes they fell asleep on eachother and they have been inseperable ever since! I am in LOVE with him and he is amazing! Hope you can reply! Thanks!

Congrats on your little guy, he sounds great. There is really no way to guarantee how big he will be but the best indicator is the size (and their age at that size) of the parents so I can’t imagine he will be much bigger if they are full grown. He should probably be fine to be neutered any time now – and it should be done sooner rather than later – but it depends on his weight. You’ll need to bring him to a specialized vet to determine this.

Pigs are extremely smart so it is possible to get him trained but I am not sure of any cases where this has happened. Pigs are also pretty stubborn and crazy for food so I don’t know how reliable they would be as a full time service pet.

The best toys for your pig are a good bed and blankets to root in. Pigs don’t play with toys too much but you can try some dog toys like squeakers or balls.

I’m so glad your dogs are getting along with your pig but please do read my FAQs. You should never leave a pig and dog alone, even if they are 100% fine, because playing could always take an unintentional turn with a paw swipe resulting in internal injuries. Please just be conscious and don’t leave them alone unsupervised to make sure nothing happens by accident.

I have a 5 month oldini log that got mustered last week about 3 weeks ago he started doing a mean oink and then bites/attempts to bite us. I tell him no and flick him on the nose is there something more I should be doing? Will he grow out of this?

I have a 5 month oldini log that got mustered last week about 3 weeks ago he started doing a mean oink and then bites/attempts to bite us. I tell him no and flick him on the nose is there something more I should be doing? Will he grow out of this

Congrats on your new pet pig! That’s wonderful. As for harnessing, start sooner rather than later. The best harness is one that is stepped into and clipped on top. So put some treats in front of the harness on the floor and of your best to have him step into it!

I can’t believe how lucky I am. Waffles is a 7 1/2 week old little pig – I have had him for 1 1/2 weeks. He follows me around the house. He’s been letting me put the harness on him and following me around since the 2nd day. He does squeal a bit when I pick him up but not nearly as noisy as when he first arrived. He never cries (unless I pick him up). I thought he was self-taught house-trained to go outside but then I found his little place behind the curtains. Now that I’ve read your blog I can’t believe how luck I am and I’m waiting for the problems to set in. I’ve been telling everyone that a piglet is the easiest animal I have ever worked with (I run and live in a wildlife park so I work with a LOT of different animals). BUT – reading your blog I realise I am overfeeding him based on the wrong info given to me when I got him. He’s been getting two cups of food per day (1/2 veg, 1/2 grains) mostly in one meal. He weights just under 10 lb – I don’t know how much he weighed when I got him, but I can see how much he has grown! Maybe that’s why he’s so good. Oh well, we’ll start cutting back tomorrow and see how he goes. Maybe he won’t be quite so content and I’ll start to experience what everyone else seems to be going through. :0)

Hi there and thanks for your comment. Ha, you are indeed very lucky, especially to be able to say he’s the easiest animal you’ve ever worked with!

Two cups of food at that age weight is definitely too much. It’s so hard with pigs because you know they want more regardless of how much they get but you also don’t want to over feed them because that’s not healthy. Definitely cut back but slowly and supplement with lots of veggies and greens.

Wow you really do respond quickly. Thanks for the advice. Are green leafy vegetables and/or carrots close to zero calories for him? Is it ok to give him lots of these instead of the higher carb stuff, or should these be limited too?

When it’s nice weather out, Cocco grazes as much as he wants. I like to give him lots of spinach, kale, lettuce and yes carrots too. Those are more nutritious than “treats” like Cheerios, etc, so I’d say just provide a good bowl or two a day of leafy greens with a couple carrots as treats 🙂

Thought I’d pass on a tip I’ve learned from Waffles. He’s 7-and-a-bit weeks old and really well adjusted. Sleeps from 8pm to 8am although (I pick him up, harness and leash him and take him out all sleepy at 10pm and 6am to wee, then pop him back in his sleeping cage). I think part of why he is so content is that, whenever I take him outside, it is always in a harness with one of those long retractable dog leads so I can let him run and wind him back in. On his tiny little legs, the full length of the leash gives him heaps of freedom. Within 2 days of him getting here (at 6 weeks), he had worked out that the harness and leash means he can run around outside and play. I think this is part of why he’s so easy going.

Hello,
Thank you for all the great information above. I have had a mini pig (Moose) for just about a year now, and he is absolutely amazing. The last few weeks though he has been getting up at 3am and thinking it is his breakfast time. He has always woken up early but more like 4:30-5am. Moose normally sleeps in his crate in the kitchen and the odd time in our bed. Do you have any suggestions for sleeping? He has lots of blankets, and we are giving him about half a cup a food a day and a few veggies. Also we have noticed lately he has had bad breath, we have given him dog breath treats doesnt seem to be doing the trick though.

That’s frustrating! Two things: check his teeth to make sure all is okay. You will probably need to get this checked by a vet though since it’s hard to know. His bad breath could be a result of teeth issues.

As for the early wake up call, he is either hearing something at that time to wake him or he might be more hungry than he used to. I’d suggest giving him his last meal a little later and put him to bed with some snacks to tide him over. I always put Cocco to bed with some veggies and he doesn’t stir until around 730 when we finally make it downstairs. So give the later meal a try and some healthy snacks!

Hi! I just got a mini pig that is just a little over a month old. She squeals a lot and refuses to be touched at times. I have read in many places, like here, that its just a matter of getting used to it so should i still grab her? Or leave her alone for a few days? Im not sure if its because shes small or mean! Also, she refuses to eat vegetables, she only wants to eat fruit or milk. Do you have any advice as to how i should approach that? Thank you so much for the information!

Definitely a good idea to give her some time to warm up and trust you. Don’t push her too much or she will associate you negatively. Try to just sit with her and rub her belly or make her feel comfortable. Hand feed her so she trusts you.

She probably doesn’t want vegetables because of the milk. Pigs have a very hard time giving up milk so try to do this gradually. Eventually she will come to eat anything 🙂

Hi, so I am no pro at raising pigs however I have my little guy for one week and 1 day and he was the same way until about day 3 he started coming around a lot more. I would suggest just leaving her alone until she feels comfortable and gains your trust because once Bacon trusted us he was much more friendly. He also didnt like vegetables right away and still doesnt eat a lot of them. Just give it time and you will be much happier 🙂

hello i just got a mini piggy i was told she is about 7 months she weighs maybe 8 lb i was curious i know pigs are omnivores so is it possible to feed them meet and if so what kind also you had mentioned that you can either let them warm up to you gradually or just dive in what would you recommend for her age?
thanks

Pigs actually eat meat happily; it’s up to you what you’d like your pig to eat. Coccolino manages to eat a bit of chicken and turkey because that’s what we have here for the most part but he’d eat anything.

Since your pig is not so young, definitely let her warm up to you and feel safe and comfortable. Sit with her and hand feed her and let the trust become established.

Hello. I recently bought a micro mini pig for my daughters. At the time of purchase (which was only a few days ago) we were told that he was 6 weeks old. Today I found out that hes is really just turned 3 weeks old. Everything I have read tells me they shouldn’t be away from their mom until 8 weeks old and any younger don’t have great chance of survival. I have been feeding him goats milk and cottage cheese bc that is what the breeder told me to give him but he barely eats and what he has eat so far I have had to give him through a syringe. Can u please tell me at 3 weeks old what I can do to give him a better chance of being healthy and what exactly at this age I should be feeding him, how much, and how often. Thanks so much, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hello, I am so sorry to hear about your predicament. It is terrible for this little piglet and also terrible practice on the breeder’s part. If you are still in touch with the breeder, you should request that the pig go back to continue nursing, especially since only a couple days have passed. If your breeder refuses or says the mom pushed the piglet away, then you need specific instructions on how to keep your pig healthy.

Goat’s milk is definitely the way to go and you will probably have to syringe and then bottle feed for quite a while. Your best course of action is to contact a vet and ask them how and when to feed your pig and when you can introduce other food. It will be a while, most likely, but when you are able to introduce Mazuri mini pig pellets, make sure you make them very soft and soaked in with the goat’s milk to help your pig eat them.

When pigs are separated from their mom so young, their health is fragile. Contact your breeder, vet and do your best. Your poor piggy is probably very scared. Good luck!

I got buddy at 14 week about a month ago. I have been reading my pig is 4 months and weighs 10 lbs. Buddy weighs I must say at least 30. I have definitly been over feeding him I was told to feed him 3/4 cup mazuri food 4x a day and on top I give him 1 fruit and bunches of greens. how do I cut him back now. He was never picked up so that creates a problem to weigh him. Also he was left with a dog at their house so I leave him with mine. a shi tzu and pom chi both are smaller than buddy should I start seperating them now. Buddy sleeps with the shi tzu.

Oh wow! That is quite a lot of food for the big guy. Pigs often don’t stop eating on their own so even though you were overfeeding him, he was probably as happy as could be.

You can’t just all of a sudden cut down all that food. That is honestly a ton and I’m not sure who told you that but it’s not healthy. So try to just cut back to 1/2 cup three times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with a few veggies in between. Then eventually cut out the lunch with just the veggies then and maybe some occasional veggie snacks. Don’t do anything drastic or immediate, make sure this is all gradual because it will be hard on his system and he might become upset.

As for him snuggling with your dog, just be careful. It seems like he has found a comfort in your dog. If you are there or if they are just sleeping, I would honestly think it’s okay but it’s a judgment call. I know someone whose pig and golden retriever dog slept together all the time and were inseparable. You just need to be careful when they are playing that it’s innocent and safe. A Shih Tzu is not going to be able to do any damage to your pig, I wouldn’t think!

Hello! Your website/blog is so helpful! So, we came home with our new mini pig yesterday. My daughter has researched and wanted one for over 3 years and has done so great with her the first 24 hours. My one question is…she gets VERY upset, loud squealing, etc. when she can’t see us. i.e. we can’t seem to leave her alone even for a few minutes. I’m worried because obviously my daughter goes to school and I work…although I”m part-time and so its only 1 day a week that we are all gone. We have a wonderful Great Pyrenees dog so we’re thinking maybe he can be in “sight” and that will help her. The little one really likes her crate so far which helps too. I saw your comment on not weaning before 8 weeks and she was born 12/22013 and the place we bought her has breeded for 15 years so guess we trusted it…but I wonder if she is just too young. She is eating the pellet food good mixed in yogurt and milk…
Thanks for thoughts or ideas!

Hello and thanks for your comment! Congratulations on your new mini pig.

It sounds like your piggy is already very attached. You’ll want to get her out of this squealing habit immediately because a mini pig lifetime of squealing when out of sight will be unpleasant to the ears. What I’d suggest is to just keep talking to her while you are nearby but out of sight. That way she feels comforted and not alone.

Keep talking to her while out of sight even through her squealing; eventually she will stop. When she stops, that’s when you go in and reward her (but not right away so she doesn’t associate squealing with a positive reward). Just say, good job quieting down and sit next to her and pet her. If you want to give her a little treat, you can, just make sure she doesn’t squeal for a treat (very thin line).

As for your dog, it’s not recommended for a pig to be alone with a dog (obviously it happens and they become best of friends in some instances) only because innocent play could be dangerous for a pig. Even a paw swipe from a dog could cause internal injuries. So just having them near each other or together when you are around to supervise is a great idea.

Hi. I have a mini pig that is about 6 months old. He has been doing great with peeing in the litter box with a few accidents here and there. I had him fixed about 3 weeks ago with no issues. All of a sudden however he seems to be peeing a lot – like every few minutes – and not always in his box. Is this normal and just because he can’t really control his bladder yet or could this be a sign of a medical issue? Thanks for your help and I really appreciate the info on this page!!!

Thanks for your visit and comment! As suggested below, it is possibly a UTI that you should have checked by a vet (if it is that and it goes untreated it could develop into kidney problems).

It is possible that it is bladder or behavioral issues but with the uncertainty and sudden change in routine, it really is wise to have it checked out. Try first with a call to the vet that performed the procedure.

Just a note about the bathroom usage outside of the litter box. Deffinately check for the UTI, also, make sure to clean up urine messes with white vinegar and baking soda mix. Pigs have the greatest of memories and the sense of smell. Baking soda will help to eliminate the smell and white vinegar is a sanitizer, both natural and non chemical.

About dogs and pigs…we allowed, while we were present only, for our pot belly and our german shepard to be together, it was great for a while, then all of a sudden the dog attacked the pig. Mind you, no food involved, the pig was fixed, I think it was a dominate thing. Then watching past episodes of Dr. Pol, there was one about a mini pig bitten by a german shepard. Just always be super dilligent about not leaving them alone together, please.

Good Morning, I have a question that is a little out of the ordinary. I have written before and just got Bacon 4 weeks ago. I am said to say that we don’t think we can keep him only because my hisband and I both work and I cant stand to see Bacon in a cage for 19-20hours a day. Does anyone know where I would be able to sell him? I paid $2587 which includes flight/dewormer/food/neuter. I really really love him but because he has bitten our kitchen cabinets already we dont trust him enough to leave him out and I hate seeing him in a play pen all day long. If anyone has advice on where a good place to sell him would be I would i greatly everytime appreciate it. Btw he was born in August and weighs 9lbs, eats 1/2 cup a day of mazuri and dried corn, and a seeving of fruits and veggies. Hes so loveable and really LOVES to cuddle 🙂

I am so sorry to hear this and completely understand your situation. I also know how hard they are to keep and to keep him stuck in a confined space all day isn’t fair to him. That is good of you to look for better.

I actually had someone email me a week or so ago with the exact same situation and I posted on my FB page (380 friends, most of whom have pet pigs) but nobody was able to pull through. That said, I will try again for you! I will let you know if anyone can help out. Where are you located? Once I know, I will post for you.

We are located in Staten Island, NY. Thank you so much for helping out we really appreciate it 🙂 we love Bacon but we want him to be happy and healthy and being in a cage for 20hours a day is not healthy.

I’m from Portugal and we got a mini pig,well i cant say he is mini cause he weighs around 80 pounds and he is 11 months old. Still, he is small, just heavy and we love him very much. He is very clean, sleeps all night long. he is very attached to my girlfriend,he follows her everywhere and wont go to sleep until she goes and tuck him in under the blankets,just like a little baby.The thing is that he tends to try and bite whoever is near her specially if they are male. I think he is very jealous of her. everytime i enter the room he gets his ears up and assumes “attack” position.He is not violent ,he just seems to want to make a statement.Is there anyway to go around this? He walks around like he is the “man” of the house 🙂
Thank you

Hi and thanks for your comment! Sounds like you found your match 🙂 He seems to think that’s his girlfriend, not yours. Some pigs get very attached and very protective, almost in a menacing way.

The best thing to do is address this right away. It needs to come from your girlfriend. She obviously can’t hold him due to his size so she needs to just sit with him and comfort him and talk to him (I know, it sounds crazy but it’s soothing and they are so smart). Then, when he’s calmed down, go in and you join in. Sit with them and pet him. Offer him some treats if that doesn’t help.

Remember this: a way to a pig’s heart is honestly through his stomach. If it’s necessary, have every guest that comes near talk gently to him, try not to pet him if he doesn’t seem up for it and extend a carrot. It would be best if your girlfriend could almost overexpose him to other people if she has the time to do so. The more people he sees and meets, the better off he will be. The most important thing is for you to get “in” with him of course.

Please get back in touch and let me know. Just try to follow these ideas and see if that helps. Since I’m assuming you are around more than others, you will have to be the guinea pig. Offer lots of treats and comfort while your girlfriend is sitting with him (he should be awake, not asleep).

I have a 4 month old pig named Bernard. He’s normally a total delight, he just got off his penicillin for a bladder infection and thankfully has stopped peeing everywhere. He’s getting fairly aggressive lately, if I try to redirect him or even put my hand on his cheek he’ll snap at me. My sister just moved home so Bernard has to have his pen in my room so giving him a time out is a bit difficult, I can’t keep his water dish in his pen because the second he gets it, he tips it over excessively. He wakes up at 4am, screaming for food when he doesn’t get fed till seven, he chases and attacks my dogs who are now terrified of him. Essentially, he thinks he’s totally the boss. I thought maybe it’s because he wasn’t getting enough exercise but when I try to take him for walks or let him go outside he almost always tries running back inside or fights the harness. (And obviously having a mini pig on the street is difficult in public) He doesn’t want to play really, he doesn’t want to run around. When I leave the house he just goes to sleep which is nice, but when I get back he’s a terror. The biting is what I’m mainly concerned about because he has never done that before..

Oh no, he is giving you a run for your money, that’s for sure! It sounds like he is definitely trying to show everyone who is boss. It might be the new dynamics of the house with your sister moving in. I’m not sure how they do together but I’d suggest letting them have some bonding time. Maybe when he is sleeping, she can go in and sit with him and pet him.

If I understand correctly, he has just started to act like this since his medicine finished? If so, I think it’s a good idea to consult the vet to make sure everything is in check and to see that he is feeling okay.

As for the food, try to feed him a little snack before bedtime, even if just a bunch of lettuce or veggies. That might help him get over. The other problem is him in your room because he can easily get your attention when he wakes up. If there is anywhere else in the house you can put him, try that. It might just be that he is “winning” by waking you up and demanding food. Even a small walk-in closet where he can’t make a mess might help just so he thinks he is alone and it won’t help to squeal at 4am.

The situation with the dogs is not acceptable and I am sure it’s very frustrating. Is this new behavior?

It seems as though he just wants to demand your attention which is why he acts up when you are around. Try to spend some time just sitting and cuddling and petting him. He might need to be assured that he is still your little baby (a little love goes a long way, as do a few special treats!).

However, I still think you’re best to consult your vet to make sure he is doing okay health-wise after the medicine.

Hi I know this ad is older but I am in a little bit of help hopefully you can help me with this problem. I want to get kunekune’s but they get up to 250lbs as male’s and 175lbs as female’s I am wondering how much food do you think they would feed. I was also if they were not an option thinking about getting mini pigs like the Julianna mini pig that we have in are area.

so if you could give me a feeding guide to how much food it would take to feed the kunekune breed of pigs that would be great. I am not good at coculating that type of food stuff lol and all the other stuff i read on the internet is not all right so i thought at asking you.

Honestly, each pig needs to be fed according to weight. All of that information is on this page for mini pigs and as for bigger pigs of course they would require more food but I am not an expert on larger sized pigs. Regardless of the size, food should be pig pellets for nutrition as well as supplemental snacks like vegetables (grazing on grass too).

I would imagine a pig of that size would be going through several pounds of food a day (it really needs to be based on that individual pig) but remember the best guidance is to consult a vet to maintain a healthy weight and diet.

I have a one year old teacup. She is just delightful. However, Izzy seems to still enjoy peeing in our playroom/office. She has a room in our house for these cold days and a great igloo and yard for the nice weather. I have put her out several times each day when it’s cold and she still makes a go in the same two corners of the house. Any suggestions?

Oh and I forgot to mention, she doesn’t always pee in the house. Many times she does go outside. How can we get her to go outside ALL the time. I have a bell on the door too. (She has never defected inside ever).

Hi and thanks for your visit. I 100% relate; Izzy has found her preferred pee spot. Cocco did the same thing in our previous house, going every chance he got on the carpet in the same spot. I tried enzyme remover, I tried carpet cleaner (myself and professional) and nothing cured him of this spot. They can smell it there forever and remember where to go even if the smell fades.

My only real advice would be to not let Izzy into that room. If it doesn’t make like too difficult for you, try to block her from getting into that room for a while, several months perhaps.

Another less drastic solution would be to make sure she has gone potty right before she has the freedom to roam. If you are sure she has peed, allow her into the playroom/office. If you are not 100% sure, don’t allow her to roam. You need to be preventive and with pigs that is hard since even if she has peed right before, the scent in that spot might urge her to pee again anyway!

try a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clean the areas. Then if possible, place a large or heavy piece of furniture in that area for about a month. Since pigs remember all to well and have an amazing sense of smell, the mixture should help, plus if they cannot get to that spot they may give up on it. I have a 3 month old mini pig that tries to take a certain tile in the kitchen floor up, so I just moved the table leg onto it and she gave up after one day. Being home daily helps, because I can keep an eye on her, if she starts to do something that she shouldn’t, I will either stomp my foot while using a harsher tone and say her name (Gertrude Louise/Gerdy Lou), which redirects her, or for the extreme pig headed moments, I have a squirt bottle of water, I will squirt her hind end. This usually does the trick quick! Whatever you do, never squirt the face/head area, water in the ears of a pig can cause serious issues such as permenant head tilt.

I can definitely tell you that the baking soda and vinegar works but I actually added a little bit of dish soap to my mixture and it leaves a fresh scent. Also my Stella has been really good since we replaced the flooring. Her accident spot is now right at the entrance of her potty box so she knows where she is suppose to go she just misses the box by an inch and its only once in a great while she misses…….

Our mini pig is now 2 months old. He was doing well with using his litter box-so well that we were keeping him in our family room (supervised) during the daytime. While training him he would stay in our large bathroom with frequent visits and playtime. All of a sudden, yesterday he began urinating everywhere! What’s up with that? We put him back in the bathroom and he is using his litter box. As soon as we take him out, he urinates on the rug or floor! I almost think this is behavioral, but put in a call to the vet to see if he has a UTI. Help us please!!! Any advice is welcome! Blessings! Lyn

Hi Lyn, oh those mini pigs and their and behavior! Yes, very good to check about a UTI but it could very possibly be a new behavior. It could be a manipulative tactic to get attention or to demand stimulation or it could be that he has discovered a new place that is more comfortable for potty use and he is happy there.

When a pig finds a spot it is very hard to dissuade them to stay away. My best advice is to make sure he goes potty right before you let him in that room and if he is still doing it then don’t allow him in that room for quite a while so it doesn’t become a daily habit! Good luck and thanks for your visit 🙂

Our mini pig Winchester is 2 months old now. He LOVES to root into my legs-to the point of pain! When I try to redirect him or move him away, he becomes aggressive and only wants to go right back to this behavior! Is this a normal mini pig behavior for his age or forever? Thank you so much, Katie! Happy

First of all, a huge thank you for your donation. I do all this mini pig “consulting” voluntarily and I do truly appreciate it!

Those snouts are strong, even at that young age! Cocco was the same way: very determined to root against my arms, legs and stomach. It can leave such black and blue marks!

Here is what I would suggest and what worked for me and several others with the same problem. Instead of trying to ward off the inevitable rooting, you should take a nice thick blanket and use it almost as a buffer to block your body. Not only will this save you from bruises it will also create a strong bond between your piggy and his blanket. This is so important for many reasons (security, lovey, bedtime) but in this case it will shift him wanting to root against you to wanting to root against his blanket which he can do in his bed more and more than on you.

If you need a strong piggy blanket, I would be more than happy to make one! I have one available on my test shop (see link on top of this page) or I have some other cute piggy fabric that I could make strong and thick to endure those snouts 🙂 Just email me. If you already have a great blanket, use that!

Thanks again and best of luck. One last word of advice. Pigs will root no matter what and it’s a sign of endearment that he is rooting on you. As much as it hurts, you don’t want to dissuade him and anger him because pigs are sensitive and he might be offended (really!) and get upset with you, like biting. So just try another approach and hopefully he will start rooting against his blanket more and less on you to eventually stop this habit in a few months.

Hi, could you please let me know what bedding you use in the litter box? Is she using it only for sleeping and playing or also for potty use? It could be that she thinks it’s a bed if you have loose paper chips or cuttings. If one type of litter doesn’t work, you should, try another whether wee pads or newspaper, etc. do not use cat litter though!

Hello, I have a pet pig. That I love very much. She weighs around 300 pounds. She runs loose on our 12 acres. We lock her up at night in her pen. She is the boss on the farm. We have goats, horses, chickens, cats. She loves cats as she grew up with them when she was little and at that time the same size. The pig ( Maggie). Will lay down for a tummy rub and the cats will lay on her. Maggie is very smart and social. I love her . Mark

I just got my “micro mini” piglet, Ralphie a month ago. I also have dogs who he has been great with for the most part. He pretty much ignores them. He shares food with them, and hasn’t shown any food aggression at all, which surprised me. I have read a lot about the dangers of dogs and pigs, and I’m very careful when he’s around them, and never leave them unattended, however since I think his 1st or 2nd night here, he has seemingly out of the blue, been charging and snapping at a few of my dogs (the biggest one, who is 60 lbs, and the biggest suck, and my smallest most passive dog who does nothing but cuddle and eat). The midsized, rowdy dogs, he completely leaves alone unless they approach me.

Ralphie seems to get jealous of my attention. He mostly only attacks when we’re in my bed. He slept with me the first few days I had him, and I think he now feels this is his bed. So, I stopped that behaviour. I read that it’s natural for pigs to fight for position, and to be very territorial especially when they’re older. My dogs just run from him, so I imagine he knows he’s above them, but why would he keep snapping at them? Might this always be a problem in my bed, and I should avoid him ever being in it? He doesn’t sleep in it. Just cuddles as he is now, while I’m writing this. He sleeps in a crate in my room. I was in the basement, but I hurt my knee over the weekend, and it’s now in here, and I’m not sure if I should be doing that, or keeping him out of my bedroom altogether. In which case, wherever we curl up could become his new territory which could elicit the same behaviour.

Also, Ralphie has been nipping at my husband and I and has nipped at a few other people. It seems to come out of nowhere. He has made contact a couple times, and once it actually hurt quite a bit. I’m very good at observing and understanding dog behaviour, but I just never see a trigger, or see it coming with Ralphie it seems random. Once he was sleeping with my husband, and out of nowhere, just bit him when he was not even moving or awake. I don’t know if it was a bad dream, or if he had been waiting for him to fall asleep to attack him or what. I have a lot to learn about this little guy.

I should mention that the breeder said he was the largest and most stubborn one of the litter. He was sold to a couple with a dog. 3 days later the couple started looking for a new home for him because their dog had been attacking him. 2 days after that, I adopted him. Since then, he has stayed with me in 3 places for overnight trips. He has been babysat for a weekend by my coworker who has 2 dogs and 2 cats. He has also met lots of people in a variety of settings, and has loved everyone. He shows no shyness at all. He loves to cuddle and give kisses. He’s very well socialized. He came crate trained and litter trained, but after staying with my mom for a weekend where I took him outside with her dogs, he has since refused to go inside at all, and will hold it until we take him out. This might seem great, except he hates the cold and being picked up, and won’t go outside on his own, and can’t manage the steps on his own….so I have to carry him down the stairs in the cold all while he’s squealing like he’s being killed, and my knee is in excrutiating pain for him to go out. Not so great for my neighbours either. I’m planning a ramp for the warmer weather. So, do you think I should try to litter train him for the winter, and if so, how would I do that? The only time he has gone in the house since we got back from my moms is the first day back. I noticed he hadn’t been going to the bathroom, and then my husband realized he had peed in the boot tray by the front door. Being his first accident, I couldn’t figure out why. That’s when I realized he must be trying to tell us he wants to go outside, so ever since, that’s been the routine.

Anyways, I’m kind of rambling now, but I wanted to give you some backstory to help you understand what might be causing his behaviour even though he has been so well socialized in such a short time. He’s a healthy weight (was 10 lbs at 3 months, and has gained a few in the last month), he’s great with his pottying, and he’s already learned his name, to sit, and he sometimes seems to understand what no means, although I think it’s more of a lack of caring. 🙂 He also roots me. Which I had thought was aggression, so I’ve been punishing it since I thought he was going to start biting me. I think the one time he did after I pushed him away and yelled at him, so as you mentioned in a post I read here, he may have been offended and/or hurt. I’m so glad you wrote that about the rooting! I have done a lot of research, and that is something that I hadn’t come across as being a sign of affection.

I’m just overall very confused if is an aggressive pig by nature, or maybe he’s been too socialized, particularly spending overnights in different places, and maybe he’ll settle down once he realizes this is his home. I know pigs like routine and hate change, but I wanted to try to get him used to change, with certain things remaining stable and comforting like his blanket and crate, and me. 🙂 Maybe I shouldn’t be??

The last thing I’ll bother you with is that Ralphie doesn’t like any toys. I’ve tried everything I can think of. He has played with a few things for a few seconds, but that’s it. Even toys with food. If he doesn’t get it out right away, he gives up. The only thing he really uses is a puzzle from Petsmart that he has to manipulate different objects to get the food out. He’ll do that, until he gets all the food, which is about 30 seconds, so again, not too helpful to occupy him. I don’t want to overwhelm him, so am sticking with “sit” for now, so I don’t know how else to entertain him. I am going to get him a rooting box. I’m doing some research now. Walking him isn’t an option since it’s way too cold, and I can’t find a harness that fits him. Do you know anywhere other than online that I can find a pig harness? Would a horse supply store have them? I have so many questions. 🙂 Sorry.

I have been wanting a pig since i was a little girl and have been thinking seriously about it for the last 2 years. i live in an apartment now with a dog and want to wait to adopt a piggy until i get a house with a yard for him. how do they do when you are at work? do they need to be crated?

It is definitely wise to wait until you have a house with a yard before getting a pig. Having a pet pig in an apartment is probably not the best, if for no other reason than the loud sounds they make! That would surely disturb neighbors.

They definitely need to be closed up when you’re not there, not necessarily crated, but it depends on each pig. If you are going to be out pretty much all day five days a week, I would not recommend a pet pig. They need and crave attention and it’s not safe to have that attention come from a dog. They will be very unhappy and potentially destructive if they are closed up all day.

plz help. snowed n away from home & my 7 yr old male pot bellied pig is stuck inside my house & hasnt had food or water for 24 hrs. will he b ok? plz help. how long can he be without food & water & still b ok. im worried sick. plz help me

Hello! I’d like some input about sleeping habits. I’ve only had my lil girl for 2 days. She is 5 weeks old (young, I know) and she’s doing really well with everything. I’m just curious to know if her sleeping habits are normal. She sleeps a lot. Now, she gets up and around-eats, plays, potties, all that. But if just like to know what other people experience. I read that they don’t typically sleep much- but as a 5week old baby I’d expect her to sleep a lot like she does.

Hi and thanks for your visit! As long as when your little girl is up and moving around happily (wagging tail helps!), she is most likely right on track for where she should be 🙂 If she is lethargic at all times and you notice anything concerning about her appetite or bladder, then that would need to be checked. I’d just assume from what you told me that she is perfectly fine!

I just purchased two mini pigs, one is 5 weeks and the other is 6 weeks. We were told to use kitty litter by the breeder, but now I’ve been reading it’s bad for them and it can cause problems if they eat it. (and I’ve noticed them eating it). What else would be good to use, because they do track the litter all throughout the house. Also, they will get in my room and go under my bed and poop. They have gotten in their about 3 times and each time I will spray the carpet and clean it, but now I have to block off all the bedrooms so they will not get under the beds and poop!

We have had them about 2 weeks, still very skiddish of us, and they will not let us hold them. I was very mislead on how easy it “would be” to interact with them. They just run from us, unless we shake their food cup then they come running to us. But as far as petting them, they only let us do it while they are in the crate.

Do you also think that it’s too late to put a harness on them? ( They are 5-6 weeks old )We bought some for our pigs but are too afraid to put them on because they will make so much noise. We have had them less than a month and my husband is already wanting to get rid of them, because he thought they were going to be a lot easier to interact with. Please help, any advice ?!!?

Congratulations on your new additions! Very exciting to raise two little mini pigs together.

First, absolutely do not use kitty litter! That scares me that the breeder would advise that; it is very unsafe for mini pigs to ingest cat litter. Please see above in section four where I suggest the pads to use. That would be the best thing to do.

Cocco likes to poop under the bed when he can too. The only way to stop this is to prevent them from getting to their spot. In the beginning when they first come home, they should really be contained until they are showing signs of good behavior. So only let them out of their room or wherever you keep them (I’d recommend a small space including their crate but not only their crate) after they’ve gone potty. This might be hard but they cannot control their bladder at all at this age so they really need to be watched carefully.

The great thing about having two pigs is that they will have each other for comfort and they will be able to cuddle together and find warmth together. The only downside is that they tend to bond to each other so well that it’s hard for you to get to bond with them. It is helpful though because when you have to leave you can leave them in company of the other and that’s comforting.

My suggestion is to sit with them and try to get them to come over to you and cuddle with them. This may need to involve treats to make sure they feel safe and want to be near you but that will only be temporary to bond with them. They do not enjoy being held and this is also addressed above. It takes time and a lot of patience. What you should expect is to be able to sit next to them especially while they are sleeping and pet them. They need to feel safe and you need to help foster that feeling by sitting with them and petting them while they are comfortable. Then gradually expect more, outside of their comfort area. Treats can help for sure but gradually lessen that once they are comfortable with you.

As for the harness, it is not too late but it’s also not too easy! That is addressed here too. You need to find one that they step into and then you can clip on top. Put a treat positioned in front so they step into the holes. It isn’t easy but it’s doable!

We did buy them the step into harness, just haven’t been brave enough to put them on Alvin and Oreo. We are going to the pet store tonight to look at different “litter options.” Yes I did ask the breeder after I saw them eating it, if that was ok and she told me yes. I just want to find a way from them to stop tracking it everywhere, I hate the feeling of stepping on litter! lol. I am trying to bond with them, and yes they do follow each other everywhere and if they are out of each others site they start calling for one another. I just wish they could understand that I got them to love and take care of them, not run away from me all the time. But I do love your Esty store. I really like the farm animal bed, so cute! 🙂

Oh dear, it really is unsafe for the pigs to be eating the cat litter, no matter what the breeder says! If the pig eats too much, it will clump as it’s supposed to do but it will clump inside your pig and cause a blockage which is extremely dangerous. So I’m glad you will find another option. I wouldn’t want to step in litter anyway either 🙂

You have to do the harness when you are ready to push the case, so if you don’t want to be too harsh, wait until they are more comfortable with you. Giving up on anything with pigs makes them think they are winning and they will continue the squealing, screaming, bad behavior every time!

Try to work on taking one to cuddle with you at a time if they aren’t willing to do it together. So take one out of the area and cuddle alone and then switch. It would be nice to have them both but you have to teach them both they can trust you. It will come with time, just be patient and good luck!

Does anyone give their baby pigs baby food? My piglet at 5 weeks seemed to really struggle with wanting to eat pig food- I soak it in warm milk or water, but she’s still not thrilled. I bought some Gerber baby food- thought I’d try that.

I wouldn’t recommend this as a basis for nutrition simply because pigs really do need to eat their pellets, especially at such a young age. The other consideration is the sugar that might be in the baby food (especially fruits) so keep a watch on that.

Some pigs have a hard adjustment to eating their food dry instead of soaked in goat’s milk (best choice). Just try to do the adjustment slowly but it is important for the pig’s health to get their pellets!

I had a question for you. I am looking for a juliana pig. I didn’t know that all the names were interchangeable and it just had to do with size. So there are no particular markings for a Juliana? Hopefully going to get one in the next week for my 2 year old daughter. thank you for your time

Hello and thanks for your comment. What I mean that as grouped together they are all essentially considered mini pigs. Juliana pigs do have different markings but be careful that they are 100% Juliana or there is no guarantee. The breeder should be able to provide all this information for you.

On another note, I have a two year old and I can assure you our piggy is no gift to him 🙂 The pigs are SO much work so just be prepared for another toddler in the house!

Hi, I’m getting a pig very soon and I’m becoming worried about him chewing. I’m also wondering what is the best form of discipline? is saying “No” good or would a tap on the nose help? One more thing I’ve read they need outdoor time and winters here are cold. What is too cold for a pig? Should i have a little sweater or something that? how do pigs deal with snow? when is it too cold for a pig to be left outside? I’ve always dreamed of having a pig and i have payed for half already. We have a lot of land here so i’m hoping we can keep our pig very happy so there will be no chewing. I’m guessing every lil pig has their own personality. I’m sure i’ll be writing you again once i have my lil guy. Thank you 🙂

I wouldn’t worry about him chewing on anything yet. Cocco has never had that problem and many pigs don’t.

As for discipline, the tone of your voice is usually understood quickly by pigs. They tend to do worse with any physical reprimands so you can say “no” firmly and perhaps try to close your pig in his little space so he understands.

As for winter, we have very cold winters here too and Cocco absolutely wants nothing to do with it! So don’t worry about that yet 🙂 Just don’t leave your pig outside in the winter too long unless you have the proper heat for him and he might not want to go at all except for potty use.

Good luck and let me know how it goes! Make sure you read the section on taking your piggy home so you are prepared. It’s exciting but also challenging.

Hello I have a tecup pot belly and is name is Oliver and he was a inside outside pig but now he is outside only he has a small barn to sleep in and is gettin a kitty pool soon but his pen is 12ft by 24ft is that big enof for him and do u have any ideas for good toys for him so he don’t get to bord thanks so much for your time and pleas get back thanks agin! 🙂

Hi and thanks for your visit. That’s definitely big enough for him but he’ll probably still yearn for the personal interaction he had as an indoor pig so make sure he gets some good quality time!

As for toys, there aren’t many toys pigs enjoy, per se, but you could do a lot outside. You could get a big pile of straw to let him roam through, maybe even throw pellets in there for him to find. Good blankets are always important. A pool will be great too!

Hi there! I got 2 half sister micro piglets one week ago. They are now nine weeks old. The piglets were never handled before I got them and were initially terrified. One of them (Sheila) now lets me rub her back and ears, the other one (Lucy)…only occasionally. They are outdoor pigs with a beautiful ark and large pen.

My main worry however is that they bite, Lucy in particular. It’s usually when I go to rub them, but Lucy will actually seek out my arm and have a nip. It hurts more then expected, and I’m starting to think that if this behaviour continues I may well be left fingerless in a few months.

It sounds like the piggies are very terrified as you mentioned and are probably trying to adjust but are unsure they are safe. The biting is of course unacceptable but it sounds like they need a very gradual bonding with you, particularly with Lucy.

When you go see them, offer some healthy treats (green veggies) and sit down. Let them come to you. If Sheila is doing okay, see if you can separate them and sit with Lucy and let her come over to you, offering her some treats while you gently pet her (make sure she sees your hand coming to touch her). Talk softly and positively and tell her what a good girl she is being. If she bites, you need to tell her “NO!” firmly and then take away any treats. You will need to do this very slowly and build up her safety and security with you. Treats will help but make sure you can pet her while she eats. Also try to hand feed her the pellets for her meals so she understands she can trust you.

Keep it up with Sheila. Very slowly they will learn to trust you but since they have each other they may be less interested in bonding with you. You will need to work on it and stay patient!

My mini Juliana is HUGE, Eugene Bacon probably weighs 150lbs? I was mislead and it’s my fault for not doing my homework so I take full responsibility for him and take care of him. He’s still smaller than a dog, he’s fat but short and stocky. I love him. He nice to me and my boyfriend has had to work hard to get him to be nice to him, and he is generally but he head butts him from time to time. Eugene Bacon does not like my son or other people, kind of sucks that he can be so aggressive. I need my pig to go on a diet, what can I do ? I wasn’t taught how to feed him and I over fed, I want him thinner not because I want a mini pig, I want him thinner for his health ! I will say this, I do love my pig, but people don’t buy I mini pig because you think he’s going to be mini and fun, they are so smart and they will run your life ! Go look at the Pig Rescue pages and see how “mini” these pigs are, they aren’t, and if you can have a pig ? Zoning is really hard to find for a pig in your area, then adopt a pig, don’t pay these breeders who tell you they will weigh 40lbs,if they do weigh that much it’s cause they are starved !

My pig is super clean and potties outside, I have a doggie door for him (great dane size and low to the ground for his short legs) and he has a yard with grass, he roams the house and does not screw up anything inside or outside. He sits when I ask him to, to give him a carrot or almond (his favorite but high in fat !) and his favorite food is spinach ! ok thanks for letting me rant =)

Hi and thanks for your reply! Wow you sure got lucky in the behavior department, he sounds like the model pig.

As for slowing down on his food, this will be a huge setback to him and he may act out. You have to reduce food veryyyy slowly. Try to supplement with some green vegetables so he is satisfying his desire to eat and cut back slowly (as slowly as possible) every day. It’s wonderful that he can go out and graze so reducing his food in nice weather will help distract him. However you can also try to exercise him if you can get him to go for walks. Or run him and chase him like you might with a dog 🙂

Good luck and remember to just go very slowly and gradually to your goal so he doesn’t notice as much!

Hi,
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I have a rare mini pig that lives me to hold him from day one. He also always wants to sleep with me. I’m just wondering is this normal behavior. He just seems to have really attach himself to me. Any info would be great.
Candy,

I just got a mini pig. She is 8 weeks old and she is potty trained for the most part. We have her in a big area by the front door that is block off when we are not there. During the day she is home alone for a while and recently she keeps knocking over her water bowl. She barely drinks any. She also scoots the liter box all over the pen and dumps it making a HUGE mess. We can’t leave any of the food bowls in there becasue she scoots them all around. Is thsi normal? And how can we stop her from scooting EVERYTHING! THANKS

haha I had the same problem, this is what you do so you don’t have an issue. First off no one told me that pigs root like crazy and they DUMP everything, I called the breeder and he explained things to me. You only have a food bowl with them when you feed then in the am and the pm, rest of the time no food bowl. I bought a shallow BIG plastic squared bin, like something you’d put shoes in and stick in your closet so you could store your shoes, but not as tell so they can drink out of it, the bigger the better, they do need lots of water, and it’s heavy and they can tip it.

The best kitty box I got that didn’t make a mess ?? Potty Patch Indoor Grass For Dogs, google it, easy to use and clean and they can’t dump it ! do you have a yard ? I bought a doggie door for my sliding glass door and when Bacon hit 2-3 months I (actually my daughters boyfriend) trained him to go in and out the doggie door, my pigs loves it and goes out when he wants ! MAKE SURE YOUR YARD IS SECURE ! Pigs super smart and you can train them to do anything.

Thanks this is all great advice! A piggy door is amazing, we got one almost a year ago and changed our life with a pet pig. They pose lots of challenges so it’s a good thing these little piggies have a lot of love to offer 🙂

Thanks for your visit and comment! Cocco did this for a while, especially when he was little. Have the water for meals and a little when you’re gone but make sure it’s not a lot or you will come home to messes. She does need access to water at all times though, especially in the warmer months. A pet water fountain might be an option too so you can check into that.

We have a 9 week old mini pig named Boris, every evening we take him outside for a short walk around the driveway, but lately we have been trying to walk him into the yard and he will not go into the grass to save his life. It doesn’t matter if I go into it with him, he will just freak out and pull back on this leash and scream. Any suggestions?
Also I cant get him to eat his veggies, I’ve tried giving him baby food veggies and he might take a few licks at it but that’s it. Should I just keep it up till he gives in?

Thanks for your comment. Has he ever been on grass before? If not, he is probably just scared and the best thing to do would be to just pick him up (if he will let you) and place him in an enclosed space (like a pet enclosure) on the grass. He most likely doesn’t realize yet how yummy it is!

As for the veggies, he needs to learn and discover they are good so don’t push it too much because soon he won’t stop begging for more!

Hang in there, everything with a mini pig requires learning and patience.

I have a mini pig she is 4 months old and I’m a little worried about her. She keeps trying to…pee? Every 5 seconds and only a tiny dribble comes out..I’m not sure if she is trying to poop and just pee is coming out or if she is actually trying to pee..?

Hi Heather, it sounds like your pig might have a UTI. If she is still doing this, you’ll need to contact your vet asap to make sure it doesn’t become anything more serious in her kidneys. Hopefully it’s nothing but pigs are prone to UTIs so I would absolutely get this checked out soon!

Sure have appreciated your blog, both questions & answers. Previously we had a small pot bellied pig, inside, until she passed at16 yrs. Had Bassets & Shar-pei during that time. All had full access in the house while we worked during the day & there were no problems. The pig liked to sleep in our waterbed & we left soft music playing for her during the day. Since we pretty much knew what to expect, we recently bought a 5 week old mini piglet & named her Sweet Pea. She is very comfortable with both my husband and myself, playing with us, walking on us as we lay on the floor or sofa, letting us scratch her head & back, rub her tummy, rooting on us & following us as we move from room to room. We have had her for 2 weeks & have successfully gone from baby cereal & goats milk to pig pellets mixed with yogurt, & will decrease the yogurt & have her on pellets & greens shortly. I put her on a potty pad once & have not had any accidents since. She weighs about 2-3 lbs. & all seems to be going well. Since she is so tiny, the dogs have only seen her through her crate gate. All Huskys, one couldn’t care less, one is very protective of her crate & the other sees prey. I have her crate on my bed & she doesn’t stir in the a.m. until I do. I think we are pretty lucky with her so far. Just need to get her to feel safe when I pick her up to go up & down stairs. Think I will try wrapping her in a blanket like a burrito for transit. Looking forward to many years of fun.

Hi Sweet Pea’s mommy, thank you so much for sharing your story. How hard to lose a beloved pig but it sounds like Sweet Pea is bringing back the piggy love. What a good pig! Yes, I agree wrapping her up would help (make sure all her hooves are held, not dangling).

Very smart to keep her away from the dogs just in case 🙂 Sounds like she will be so happy with you and that makes me smile because not all pigs are so well cared for and loved! Enjoy!

I am considering getting a mini pig but I am terrified by a lot of websites that I read about how there is no such thing as a mini pig and that they are just underfed pigs. My friend’s mom’s pig just gave birth and she is willing to let me have the pick of the litter. What should I look for to ensure I get a good one. Thanks!

Hi and thanks for your comment! The term “mini pig” is very controversial because a “mini pig” might end up getting to be 100 pounds, 250 pounds or even 500 pounds.

How old and how big is the sow that just had the babies? Pigs grow for three years so you’ll need to consider that. If you are willing to take in a pig that might end up being much bigger than anticipated and are willing to commit to the pig and all the attention they need, they make fabulous pets (with lots of patience!). Make sure the piglet has good control of its muscles and agility and seems healthy and in good spirits.

Also, very important to a pig’s health, make sure the piglet stays with the mom and is nursed up until at least 7-8 weeks. This will improve the pig’s health longterm. Good luck and let me know what happens!

Ok I’m just having an issue at the moment with my mini pig. I’ve had her for about a week, she is 10 weeks old and she seems to be very dependant on me. I can’t put her outside for any length of time as she won’t stop squealing or if I leave the room or house she keeps squealing until I return. I’m just insure how to make her feel okay about being outside and I have tried sitting out there with her but she doesn’t leave my side and will just lay at my feet instead of looking around

Hi and thanks for your visit. Right now, your pig is probably trying to figure out this sudden transition. She is probably a little scared and therefore is clinging on to you as she makes the change from her previous home to yours.

She is still young so she might not be sure what to do outside (as in, she doesn’t yet realize she can eat grass!). You might need to make her feel comfortable by staying with her nearby so she can see you but so that she is on her own in an enclosure. Just be busy and don’t sit there or she will think it’s not fair that she can’t be next to you.

Pigs need time so just make sure you stay patient and stay within eyesight but not right next to her. Slowly start increasing the distance. She has only been with you for a while so she really just needs to find her bearings!

Hi! I’m very intrested in getting a mini pig and just found your site. It’s really nice to see your quick helpful answers! I’ve reed a lot about them but I have a few questions about them:

Can you combine the pig poo in there toilet and sometimes having toilet walks?
How many times per day do you have to take a walk with them, than the poo walks?
If they start biting on the furnitures, can you spray with a “nasty taste spray” for dogs on the furnitures?
Can we use are playhouse for the pig when it’s outside?
We have stairs but the steps are covered in a fuzzy rug, will that work? (it’s not a spiral staircase)
Our backyard is about 550 m2 with a medium big pond, a tree and a playhouse. Is it suitable?
Can they follow us to my grandmother’s apartment and be with us on our boat and wear a life jacket for dogs?
We can by a mini pool for the pig too, but do they like to swim or stay standing in the water?
How often (on what time) do they need to be fed?
To stimulate them during the days we need to buy blankets and toys, is that right?

Hello and thanks for your comment. Looks like you are really doing your research which is wonderful!

I’m not sure I understood the first question perfectly but pigs can be litter trained and/or potty trained to go outside. It really depends on the pig as to which method works best!

You don’t “have” to walk your pig. We actually don’t walk Cocco at all (for the most part) because he just doesn’t enjoy it and because he gets to roam in the backyard full of grass. So walking is more of an option though obviously it’s great for exercise.

I haven’t seen this happen (not the biting, more the destruction), but I don’t see why you couldn’t try a spray on furniture.

Yes, any sort of shelter from the sun is great but if it’s during the winter you will need to make sure there is sufficient heat.

Your pig will most likely learn to go on the stairs, with or without the fuzzy rug, but keep in mind the majority of pigs don’t go down stairs, only up.

That’s a perfect backyard 🙂

Yes you can take a pig anywhere that is safe however just be aware that you will need to train your pig to feel comfortable traveling. So lots of small trips and longer trips are good but the key is the frequency so they don’t forget. And even if your pig is perfectly comfortable in the car after a while, you can probably still expect a bit of a mess. As for the boat, that’s a tough one and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it because it might really scare the pig. You would have to try very slowly and a very short ride and absolutely with a life jacket.

Some pigs like swimming, others cannot stand to be in water (most don’t like water, only to cool off).

They are usually fed in the morning and late afternoon with veggie snacks in between.

Blankets are the best and some food-filled toys are good but it really depends on your pig’s personality.

Yes of curse! 😉 Oh there is one more thing I wonder, will our garden be like a mess if we let the pig stay outside when we are at school and my parents work? I thought maybe if I walked with the pig to a certain place in a small forest near our house where I show its ok to dig, or in a corner of are garden. Or will the pig still do it every where?

Hmm yes, it might end up that your whole garden is rooting space no matter where you say it’s good to root or not! So either fence it off or don’t let him/her out while you’re not there. Also if you do let the pig out when you’re not there, be sure it’s a safe and enclosed space where no other animal can get in either.

Hello! Thank you for all of the information. We brought our mini pig,Penny, home two days ago. She is constantly grinding her teeth and stretching her jaw (teething, I assume.) Her breeder recommended letting her chew on watermelon rinds, but Penny doesn’t seem interested in that. Do you have any advice for this? Thank you!

Coccolino went through a phase when he did this constantly at a few months old, and he still does this often. You’re right that it is from teething and your piggy will probably do this on and off as she grows and her new sets of teeth come in.

If she isn’t interested in watermelon rinds, it’s probably because she doesn’t realize how yummy they are to eat! Is there any kind of treat she likes? Coccolino didn’t discover that treats were yummy for a good week or so. If there is something she likes, put it on top of the watermelon rind. The rind is an excellent idea because it will keep her occupied but keep in mind that she will probably grind her teeth regardless when she finishes the rind. It drives some people crazy, me included, but you get used to it 🙂

Hello! I am looking to get a dwarf pig and am wondering if I should get a male or female. The breeder isn’t nuetering the male so regardless if i get a male or female I will have to get it spayed or neutered later on. My question is, if I get a female, do I have to get her spayed at all? If I end up getting a male, do I have to get him neutered. What are the pros and cons of getting my piggy spayed and neutered? Also, I am wanting to keep my piggy inside. Is that a bad idea? I have a small kiddy pool for when we play outside all ready for him/her. But ultimately I would like to keep him/her inside. Sorry for all of the questions but I really want to be able to care for my little piggy property! Thanks for any feedback.

Hi and thanks for your comment! First of all, no matter if you get a female or male, they should 100% be fixed. Pigs that are not fixed often end up becoming very difficult and frustrating to deal with, not to mention the unappealing habits they form (males humping anything, female aggression, etc).

Getting males neutered is much easier and has a quicker recovery period than getting a female neutered so keep that in mind.

Having a pet pig as an indoor pet is a wonderful idea if you can provide the time they require and have the patience to make it through the challenges. Coccolino is an indoor pig that gets to enjoy time grazing when it’s nice weather. That is perfect for a pig that loves to just be cuddled. They do require a lot of time and attention though so be prepared!

Hi! I have a 8 week old female pig, I got her at 3 weeks but luckly shes doing just fine and is very smart and eating wonderful.. she did not come with shots.. do I take her to get shots or no? some say yes some say no.. help please!

Hi and thanks for visiting! Yes, she will definitely need shots at around four weeks old and then again if you want to do de-worming. Your best bet is to speak to a vet that can advise you the best path to take. Pigs don’t require much maintenance other than a yearly visit to the vet but as babies they do need to have their shots.

I am glad she is doing so well – she must be tiny at three weeks old!

One other thing, you’ll have to get her spayed on your own (in a few weeks, too early now). It’s a bit more intense for a female pig but trust me you will absolutely want to do this if you don’t want to deal with a hormonal and perhaps aggressive pig in heat.

okay thanks alot! one other thing..she is afraid to go outside..she gets to the door and doesnt wanna go..shes not a sketchy pig but with that she is..im not sure if I should just pick her up and take her or wait..shes now 8 weeks

Is there a step down? Pigs don’t typically do steps down (or up until they learn). You may have to pick her up because I’m sure once she understands it’s fun to be outside she will want to go on her own!

We got our mini pig 2 days ago, today is his 3rd day in a house. He is kept in a playpen, he already learned his litter box, he also let me scratch his belly today when I took him out, but nevertheless every time I try to take him out of the playpen he screems and poops, am I doing something wrong, am I ever going to be able to let him out of playpen to roam the house?

Hi and thanks for your comment! It sounds like he is very nervous leaving his environment where he has established a safe place. Pigs poop when they are nervous (and yes, scream too). You are not doing something wrong but I would recommend removing the playpen and replacing it with a little enclosed space (gates, enclosed gates, etc) with a little bed and bowl of water and litter box. Keep the space small so he is comfortable but he probably is fighting being picked up and the best way to transition this is to remove having to pick him up. Let me know how it goes!

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There is a chance he has mange (it’s orange in color) but it is also likely that he is just itching. Most pigs do this often. I would keep watching him and if he isn’t doing it constantly and there is no color change, he is most likely enjoying a little scratch. Do keep a watch on it though.

That sounds about normal. If he had mange, he would be scratching constantly and you would notice his skin a bit discolored. I’m not a vet but I think he is just enjoying the scratching so keep watching and if it’s only every once in a while he is most likely completely fine!

Oh wow, so sorry to hear about the mom. You need to get to the vet asap to find out how to best care for your little piglet. Five days old is very young and it is a lot of work. Call the vet as soon as you can and get over there for a visit. At least until you get there, you’ll need to be advised how to best feed and care for the piglet nutrition-wise.

Hi I have a micro.. He is 14 weeks old. He came neutered. I was told they were dissolvable sutures, which they were not! And that he had his tusk removed. Which I’m doubtful now. He is having a lot of chewing, smacking, grinding of teeth and foaming around the mouth.. He has done this Since I got him but it has become worse. Also, I’m wondering if they actually removed both testicles bc he is becoming more agitated and aggressive (snapping and biting) .. He isn’t calm and doesn’t like to be loved on. Do u have any suggestions? Oh and his urine smells!!! Bad!! He only urinates twice a day.. In am and pm.. I would assume like a puppy, he would go more frequently.

As for the sutures, it might not look as though they dissolve but most likely they do (we had the same where it seemed we had to pick them out but they were fine when untouched). The tusks are something you will need to consult the vet about so make sure you get the vet’s number that worked with him and talk directly to the vet, not just the breeder. Same goes for the testicles.

As for the teeth grinding and chewing, this is very normal. It will last, well, forever, but it does get much better the older your pig gets. He will foam when he is hungry or expecting his meal soon. The grinding and other noises are results of his teething and also again when he is hungry. The grinding does really improve in a few months.

I’m not sure how long you have had him but he might not feel safe or secure where his is yet. It takes a while to develop a bond and he will need to find this trust within his comfort zone. I would start when he is sleeping to just go in and rub his belly and let him know you want to love him. While he is lying down and resting is the best time to start to develop the bond.

Are you sure that he isn’t having accidents anywhere? Twice a day is not a lot for a little pig or maybe he isn’t drinking enough? If you are sure he isn’t having any accidents then offer him a little more water maybe because water is very important, especially in the summer.

Good luck! Take it slowly – patience is the most important quality when raising a pet mini pig.

Question? My mini pot belly’s got out and knock down a huge thing of veggie oil and it went everywhere. Looks like they licked up a bunch but was able to remove the rest. Any remedy for the stomaches since I am sure it will not settle very well.

Oh pigs. Well, first, I would assume they are okay but might have to poop quite a bit and it might look like diarrhea. I think that should help it pass. If for some reason your pig is NOT pooping, that’s when there might be an issue as blockage in pigs can be dangerous. Watch your pig over the next few hours and see if s/he poops. If yes and behavior isn’t different, I’d say you are fine. If s/he doesn’t poop at all today and seems uncomfortable, you will need to take a rectal temperature and if there is a fever you will need to consult a vet right away. I would highly assume everything will be okay though!

When I moved I had to put my pig in a Piggy Day Spa for over 2 weeks, he was constipated when I got him back because of stress, my Vet said to get them to poop, a can of Pumpkin Puree that you use to make Pumpkin pie with ! A can or two and he will be pooping no problem and it’s safe and natural !

Our piggy is 6 month old, we got him from pig farm 10 days ago he was in playpen at first but the I put him in play yard as you advised, he let me hold him and even rub his belly when I manage to pick him up but it is a struggle to get him to come close and when I let him out of play yard he pooped and peed everywhere on the carpet, even he knows his litter box and always goes there when he is in a play yard, he had an access to it, but still went on the carpet, what do I do?

The carpet is a pig’s best friend and your worst nightmare! It settles in, the pig will always return to that spot and it’s a nonstop battle. For now, if possible, you will have to limit your pig’s space so he cannot access that carpet or only have access to that carpet once you have seen him pee/poop. Even if he just has, he might still be urged to return to his “spot” and go again. Time and distance from the carpet is best.

He might not want to come close because he still is fearful of being picked up. If you need to, encourage him and even offer him some small treats for good behavior so he understands he is safe and there is an incentive for him to approach. He might need to just still establish his bond with you before moving too quickly so take it slowly and just teach him how things will work there.

I am looking at a pig from piggly wiggly mini pigs in crockett tx. I want one very much but can’t handle it getting to big. I just don’t have the space! The parents are 3 years old female 17lbs and male 4yrs old and 19 lbs. They told me the piggy is the runt and will stay as small as his parents if feed probably. My question is if I see the parents in person and they are truly that small and I fed him correct will he truly grow to that size? Do u trust this breeder? Should I trust what they are telling me? How much did Coco gain? What about the other piggy got by your family member? How much does it weigh? I’m a good mom and feel confident that I will be a good piggy mom I just can’t handle a BIG piggy running around! Please advise me!

I bought a male pig from Piggly Wiggly Mini Pigs in Crockett TX and got him in June of 2013. Gatsby arrived with scabs all over his ears, both his ears were one huge scab and all around his snout and mouth was covered in black scabs. I called and emailed the breeder after I got him simply asking if the scabs were something I should be worried about. I was very nice in the messages I left her as I didn’t want to come off as threatening, I was honestly just very worried and concerned as there was definitely something wrong with his mouth/ears. She never returned my messages. It was like as soon as she had my 2nd payment, and shipped him off, she disappeared.

I took Gatsby to the vet and they said it was a parasite and I had to take him in about 5 times after the initial visit to get a shot to get rid of it. This cost me over a grand. They also looked at his scar from being neutered in disgust and said it was not done by a professional.

The women at Piggly Wiggly Mini Pigs, I believe her last name was Stokes, told me the same thing. She said the parents of Gatsby were grown adults and weighed under 20 lbs. I don’t believe this to be true because I fed Gatsby the proper amount, the Vet even said he was at a healthy weight, but in less than a year Gatsby weighed over 70lbs. This was absolutely devastating for me because I thought I was getting a pig that would be less than half the size of what he actually grew to in less than a year (and pigs can grow for the 1st three years of their lives!)

I had to give Gatsby up because I don’t have a fenced in yard for him to roam and keeping him inside during the day at his size, in my opinion was inhumane. Taking him on walks and letting him roam on my watch wasn’t enough. Had he been the 25 even 35 lb pig I thought he was going to be, my living situation would have been fine. Letting him go was the most heartbreaking thing I have ever done. I know he is happy now, spending his days roaming and living a great pig life, but this didn’t come without a huge amount of emotional turmoil and thousands of dollars not to just get him, but also on vet bills only to have him grow into a very large “mini pig” and have to give him up.

I’d definitely think twice before buying a pig from this breeder as my experience with them was absolutely horrendous.

This is exactly what I’m afraid of! I do not believe in rehoming and I do not have that kinda space either! I’m so torn. I know what I want but I don’t want to end up with this huge one and be under so much stress on what to do with him or her if they get to big for my house! I have outside animals. I want something inside with me on hot days!
Does any one know of a breeder that is truly producing tiny piggys?

It really is difficult to know but I always advise people who want a mini pig to be ready to accept that pig no matter how big. Most really don’t get tooooo big if they are fed accordingly but you just can’t tell. As for a breeder, it’s tough to say that because there is often a range in the size of the pigs in one litter and you don’t really know what you’re getting until they are full grown!

If you don’t have the space, a pig might not be your best bet. But if you are okay with a medium sized dog, I would think a mini pig would be okay because they often don’t get much bigger than that, at the biggest. Always a gamble though!

There are many breeders that are selling pigs they claim will stay tiny, under 35 pounds or so. This is very rarely the truth. In addition, those breeders will often misinform you of proper feeding instructions for a potbellied pig in order to attempt to keep the pig tiny. However, a underfed pig is a very unhealthy pig and can be aggressive due to being hungry all the time. In addition, there are many pigs needing homes. Why buy, when there are so many pigs that need your love first. We can help you adopt a potbellied pig that is perfect for you. Please contact us first.”

There is no such thing as a MINI pig, yeah they are Mini compared to their PIG/HOG counterparts who get 800-1200 pounds ! Go to a State Fair and check out the regular pigs, sure my pig I own is mini, but he’s 120lbs now and I was told he’d be 28-35lbs. NOT TRUE. I talked to my breeder daily when I was buying my pig, as soon as I got him, maybe once he returned my email.

TeaCup was a name a lady gave her pigs, because she took pics of them in teacups to show ! I will admit I over fed my pig, I didn’t know what the rules were and such but they also grow for 3 years, my baby is at 2 years and he’s up to 120lbs. I’ve put him on a diet, but it’s tough, he yells at me when he wants to be fed haha

I had to make him a Service pet, because if you don’t check around you might not know that PIGS are ILLEGAL to have !!! I got evicted, so I spent $300 on making him a ESA (Service Pet) and it’s another $300 a year for my city to issue me a permit to have him.

I spent two months trying to find a place to live, I had a permit but people don’t know pigs, think they’re messy and ruin things, people would not rent to me, I was beat down and cried a lot. I finally lied, told the house I live in now that I had a dog, no problem I was in. 5 months later my lame gardeners told my landlord I had a pig, man they were at my house that night, lucky for me I showed he was good, my house is immaculate and he doesn’t screw up my yard. I had to pay another $300 on deposit on top of the already $300 I paid on pet deposit and I get to stay. But I do live in fear cause the HOA in my area, I am told by my next door neighbor who digs my pig that they can sue me if they want. So I keep him very fat (quiet) and happy. No one meets my pig, I have privacy fences all over my house so people who walk by don’t even know he’s there and I have become very close (on purpose) with my 3 neighbors, they are cool with Eugene Bacon.

Would I do it again ? Have my pig ? NO WAY. The stress is ridiculous and living arrangements can be difficult. I bought him and I own him and I love him so I will take care of him till he dies, I got another 18 years to go.

My advice ? Don’t do it, trust me re-homing pigs is brutal, and what a lot of people won’t tell you is pigs are pack animals, there’s a boss and only one, either it’s your pig or YOU ?? I am the boss but he hates my kids and roomie, he hated my boyfriend but he’s gone out of his way to become his friend and even now he has bad days with him (my boyfriend). My pig only likes me. I didn’t do my homework and he’s my responsibility. Pigs get depressed too, so you have to keep them happy =) Peanut Butter does the trick here and there haha

Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like it has been one uphill struggle after another with a pet pig.

I am always open to others sharing their experiences on here so people get the picture of the range of issues that come with pet pigs. Some of the issues you have faced I have never had to deal with and it must be so frustrating.

I do want to clarify for others reading that with my own personal experience, Coccolino is quite the mini pig. He is two years old, weighs about 16-20 pounds depending on the grass intake that day (!) and is in perfect health as per his recent vet checkup. It really is impossible to know just how big they will get, so someone taking in a mini pig needs to be okay with the pig’s grown size whether it’s 25 pounds or 150 pounds.

Whether a pet pig is allowed to live in a certain area is completely based upon that town’s laws however I would never recommend a pet pig in an apartment complex or with very close neighbors due to the noise level.

Thanks again for sharing and good luck – I do very closely relate to some of those issues. Good luck and keep it up with the peanut butter, that’s our favorite soothing tactic too!

I just got my mini pig and the owner says she is only ten days old. I went to the doctor and he said she is three weeks old. What should I feed her the vet told me not to feed her milk because she is sick.

Hmm, this is not good that the breeder was not honest. The motive might be to trick you about the actual size compared to her age. I am not a vet so cannot offer sound advice on nutrition especially in the state she is in but I would assume that your vet would offer you an exact and appropriate feeding plan. If your vet did not, you need to call back to find out how to properly feed her. This is a very sensitive and delicate age (she should be with her mom still) and it is important to be on top of the feedings. Please call your vet back to offer how to best treat her and also consider calling a local country store like Tractor Supply where they might carry nutritional options. Please update once you hear from the vet.

We purchased Hamlet, our little Juliana, 3 1/2 weeks ago at 10 weeks old. We had him neutered 1 week after bringing him home and to make a long story short the poor little guy herniated 2x, once during the surgery and once the week after requiring another surgery. For reasons unknown to us, he had an extensive amount of adhesions around the lingual ring and his intestines within this area; the vet who performed the second surgery wasn’t sure he was going to survive. Today we had his sutures removed and is doing AMAZING!

Here is my question. When we first brought him home the breeder had him on a mix of pellets and boxed cereal, 1/4 cup a day. He has been on a liquid diet since the surgery and we have been increasing his solids over the past few days. He is now ready for his regular diet again. We have read that the sugar cereal he was being fed is not good for them so we want to mix his pellets with veggies. If we are doing 1/8 cup pellets at each feeding how many vegies (broccoli, spinach, zucchini, kale, etc.) should we add to that to keep him satisfied until his second feeding?

Hi and thanks for your comment. I am glad to hear that Hamlet is doing okay and even gaining weight. Sugar cereal is definitely not a good idea; even fruits aren’t recommended due to the high sugar count.

Once Hamlet is tolerating his food fine, you will need to up his portion to 1/4 cup of pellets at feeding along with veggies. 1/8 cup at feeding is not sufficient for him. What I usually do is offer several snacks of veggies throughout the day, along with grazing outside when possible. Veggies are healthy for him. Don’t offer an entire plate but do offer a small bowl of veggies maybe in between his breakfast and dinner. That should help, especially once he is up to the 1/4 cup of pellets at each meal.

Thank you so much for your reply, it is very helpful! I will add a small bowl of vegies between breakfast and dinner and cut back on his fruit. We do let him out daily to graze on the grass and he loves this time! We have recently started harness training him and taken him on a couple of walks. He loves interacting with other people. I was really worried about having to tend to a sick piglet so shortly after getting him, however, he has made such great progress in such a short time and really become a great addition to our family.

I just got two baby boy mini pigs. after I got them I’ve been reading that they will get huge like 150-300 pounds. Is this true? How much will they be weighing? Right now they are 8 weeks old and is it really true that they will that pig? I wish I would have researched more before getting them, but I love the both of them very much so. So how big wi they actually get?

Hello and thanks for your visit! It is very hard to tell how big they will actually get. How big are they now at 8 weeks? Where did you get them from? It really is difficult to know, especially without a little more background! Did you see the parents?

Hi, first of all I love your site… Learning lots just by reading all the comments, questions and replies.

We have a farm with various different animals including 7 pigs (Hampshire and Yorkshire) and we just got my son a mini pot belly pig which he has wanted for about 2 years. We brought Gizmo home on Saturday, June 5th and were told he was 7 weeks old then. He squealed like crazy when we first picked him up but we can eventually get him to quiet down pretty fast if we hold him baby style, cradled in our arms belly up. He squeals a lil less daily. He is still a lil nervous when we pass by his crate a lil fast but for the most part he looks happy. At first we had him in the back of our sofa in the livingroom in an extra large dog crate with cat litter. We would put a bowl of water for him and he would either sit in it to cool off like my regular outdoor pigs lol or he would try to root it and tip it over. Then he would squeal and scream cause the cage was all wet and yuky. Also, I noticed that whenever he didn’t see anyone near him he would start to scream and cry and go bananas lol I read in your comments they should have a lil crate so I moved him to a tiny crate and put the crate right in front of our entertainment center so when we sit on the sofa we see him… And there is usually someone in the sofa even if its one of the dogs. We have 2 pitbulls (one of which is inside but only roams freely when watched) the other pit is outside most of the time as well as a german sheppard both of which protect our farm animals from predetors. And we have (inside) a toy Chihuahua, toy yorkie, mini Doberman and a shish poo. lol The toy chi has to warm up to other people and pets before she trusts them then she’s a gem. the toy yorkie is only interested in love and cuddles from mama (me) and cuddling up with the toy chi for naps, the shish poo is the mother hen and the mini dober just likes to play and cuddle with anyone he can sit on lol So, of course Gizmo is safe and from the moment we came home with him we introduced him to all the dogs and then laid the shish poo down belly up and put Gizmo on her belly and told her he’s a baby so she knows (and yes she understands that, they all do lol) So now she sits infront of his crate and watches over him. But when she walks away he screams like crazy. so she has to return lol so when we moved the crate it was a lil relief for Sissy the shish poo lol But we found the crate was too small and Gizmo was getting upset cause he was too close to the litter and food bowl was too close to litter and he had his food on top of a bunch of old shirts I put in there for him to lay on with my sons scent on it 😉 So back to the xtra large crate it was and he is happy cause it is towards the front of the livingroom on the side so he can see everyone. Oh, I put a water bottle hanging from cage (rabbit water bottle) . At first he didn’t eat or drink at all, then on Monday I put him on my lap and kinda force fed him about 5 sweet pellets and that was it (I was told to feed him normal pig sweet pellets). By Monday night I noticed him eating a bit, Tuesday morn he ate everything we gave him 1/4 cup OHHHH I went to the feed store and got him mini pig pellets 😉 I just wasn’t convinced about the normal pig sweet pellets. Tuesday he was quiet all day! well besides normal snorting, but no crying all day. At about 7pm he started getting a lil noisier and looked a lil agitated so I thought maybe he’s hungry finally… So my some fed him and he started to eat but only ate a tiny bit and off to lala land it was Zzzz lol btw he sleeps all night since he came home… yay and is quiet all morn yayyyy . Again most of the time we carry him belly up and rub his chin like a baby but I have started to slowly put him down on my lap or lay him belly down on me so he can get used to being on us loosely on lap. But when my son carries him and sometimes hubby and me, if he is a lil too agitated I rap him up in a lil towel and that helps to calm him. I hope all this is a help to u all! I don’t know what his weight was when he came home nor now… but he’s tiny and was told parents are 15 and 17 pounds. so he should stay small thought I pray for smaller of course lol oh and he didn’t drink from rabbit bottle right away. I kinda held him up to it several times so he would end up getting wet from it and know its his water source lol Monday eve he started drinking from it and though I don’t think he’s drinking enough he is drinking more now.
I do have some questions lol sorry this is so long lol was trying to share to hopefully help others.
1. I notice he is starting to be itchy and is scratching more and more since like Monday morn. Is that ok? I know my big pigs do it and its normal in them…
2. He is not castrated yet and I was wondering if it will be safe to castrate he ourselves like we do with big pigs? or do we have to go to a vet? the process with the big pigs is quick, almost painless and very lil bleeding, pigs are a lil upset (obviously) for a lil while and just lay around for a lil but by dinner time the latest their up and around normal.
3. Gizmo smells like fat or well, like swine lol a lil but sometimes a lil more than others and sometimes he stinks but then a few hours later he doesn’t. The breeder says that’s normal cause he is not castrated. They said if we don’t castrate it will get worse and that its going to be that way every time we pick him up or he’s around a female pig… Is this correct? Will he loose that odor when we castrate him? I see here some breeders “misinform” people sometimes lol so wondering!
4. We noticed on Monday that Gizmos testicles started getting a lil on the tan/brownish side in color. Tuesday, they were a lil more brownish. The breeder said that is normal for some and basically CAN be a sign that his whole body could will be a darker color. Is that true? please help! thanks

BTW: he hates it and squeals all through the walk but, we do walk him on a harness ever since he came home lol he just tries to run off in all directions lol but can’t obviously. We are sure he’ll get it eventually. But, he has always from day one done poopoo and pee when we walk him and also goes in little box well. Never an accident in crate or anywhere else yet… And we’ve try feeding him grass, weeds, lettuce, and other greens but won’t eat any of it yet! Patience is a virtue! We love Gizmo and hubby loves to sleep with him in bed for a few hours at night before he locks down the house for everyone’s real bedtime lol our son can’t sleep with him till we’re sure there won’t be any accidents 😉

Hi and thanks for sharing your story and background! Quite a group you’ve got and that is great that he is already letting you hold him a bit. Belly up too?! Wrapping in a blanket is the best way to do any holding.

1. Since you already have bigger pigs, you probably know that pigs do tend to like to itch. They like the feeling. However if you notice it is constant and seems uncomfortable, make sure you check for mange (orange looking skin) or mites.

2. Eeek I don’t know about personal neutering! I would recommend a vet only because his health might be a little more fragile than the bigger pigs but I would absolutely get this done asap before behavior becomes a problem. IF you have a vet you can talk to, I would call and ask their opinion if you trust them.

3. Yes this is absolutely because he is intact. Once he is fixed, you will not smell him at all.

4. As for the coloring, I haven’t had this experience but since he is so young I would agree that he might be changing colors slightly. Not too much but probably just a slight shift.

I am so glad you have accepted him so wholeheartedly and have the patience it takes. Get him neutered asap if possible, that will only help, and make sure to consult a vet if you decide to do it yourselves. Keep it up with the walking – and those veggies will soon become foam-worthy!

awesome thanks so much… Will def. check with vet tomorrow hopefully. He is drinking lots more now and my Shish Poo n him keep bonding more. Ohhh, lol since his cage is extra large my son actually got inside it with him yesterday and Gizmo at first was upset (like why are you invading MY space lol) but, I told my son to just stay still there and relax a lil so he can see “AJ is only here to hang out with you and not mess with you”. Within a minute or two Gizmo relaxed, ate a lil and eventually laid right next to AJ and took a nap lol I’ll post pics of him with Sissy (shish poo) in your FB page if I can. And will let you know what vet says so u know 😉

Please help!
I am so upset, confused and frustrated right now…
I haven’t been able to find a vet yet for my lil Gizmo to find out if we can castrate him ourselves as we do with our regular farm pigs. So, I called a local breeder who sells teacup’s. We got to talking about Gizmo’s age and size… He states that if Gizmo is about 5 lbs at 7 wks old then he is not a teacup at all! He said “sorry, but you’ve been had. Your pig will grow huge cause you have a pot belly pig and they are big pigs”. He said “a teacup pig is usually about 3 lbs at 12 weeks old”. He said I should should be castrating him around 4 months old! I told him I was told he was a mini pot belly and that his parents are 15 and 17 lbs. He said if you don’t see it don’t believe it! lol I told him but I know of others that have mini pot belly pigs full grown only 18 lbs and he said make sure of that cause full grown happens at 5 years old!

We are so in love with our Gizmo and he is doing great. But I can’t have a huge pig running around my lil house! So what am I to do if this man is right?!!! Remember I have 7 other dogs, 5 of which live inside! grrrrr I’m so confused!!! I asked you on FB how many pounds is Coccolino and you said he’s 18 lbs. is that full grown? How old is he? I really want to cry I’m so upset. I don’t even know what to tell my son and hubby! ugh Please help! Is this man right? He said it is impossible to get a real teacup for less than $400. And that a teacup at $400 would grow to be about 40 to 45 lbs. he said any pig less than 40 lbs sells for about $600 and a micro mini pig sells for $1000 or more. Again, I don’t know what to believe! I told him I’ve done lots of research online on mini pigs and many say their pot belly pigs are mini at 15-35 lbs… He said “again, if u don’t see it don’t believe it!!! I called the breeder I got Gizmo from but their not there. So I left a msg on mach. I hate to be bug them or you with this but I’m learning here and I like to be very informed on my animals so that I can give them the best care and now I’m worried, sad, upset, confused, and so much more mixed emotions lol I’m a reck aaaggghhhh lol Thanks so much for being here for everyone! My only guess is that one day someone will have the same doubts, questions or concerns as I do now and my posts will help them so they don’t go as crazy as I am going HAHAHAHAHA Thanks again for all u do… Blessings

1. Teacup pigs, micro mini pigs, mini pigs, etc, are all potbelly pigs. The breeder you spoke to should have definitely known this. The “mini” just refers to the size of the potbelly pig.

2. Pigs are full grown at three years old. Breeder should know this.

3. Male mini pigs can be neutered earlier than four months old. Females usually have to be spayed later due to a more intensive procedure but male mini pigs can be neutered pretty early on.

4. Coccolino weighs anywhere from 15-18 pounds during the summer because of all the extra water weight. He was about 13 pounds this past winter at 1.5 years old since he didn’t graze but still ate the vet’s recommended plan. He will be full grown in a little less than a year.

5. Most breeders say that “minis” are usually estimated to be about 25-30 pounds when full grown. Please keep in mind that though this might be more than you expected, that weight is so compact and solid that it won’t mean your pig is big, just that the weight is dense. You probably know this from your other pigs.

6. The breeder you spoke to has NO way of knowing how big your pig will get based on the price. That is a very baseless statement so don’t consider his weight based on a price.

Now that I have cleared those things up, here is what I would advise. There is no way of knowing right now how big your pig will get. I still have no idea how big Coccolino will be when full grown but I have a good idea since he is almost there and very small. Potbelly pigs are smaller than the large farm pigs that you have and even if they get to be about 150 pounds (I would say that’s unlikely), they are still only the size of a medium dog.

Whether or not Gizmo is actually a true mini pig or not is perhaps debatable but what is most important is that he is getting the nutrition he needs. Not overfed and not underfed. I would strongly suggest finding a vet you can consult (either the one you have for your farm pig or one even a longer driving distance away). You will need one regardless and at the very worst just call a few and ask them some questions before you go in for a visit.

Five pounds at seven weeks for a mini pig is maybe a bit more than other mini pigs but it is just too hard to fit all these different pigs into one category. It really depends on their food and the size of their parents which is the biggest factor if fed appropriately. Try to contact the breeder again and if possible go there and see the parents. If not, just call until you get an answer.

If you love Gizmo and he’s adapting, raising him from a piglet will allow him to fit in with your family and family members. I understand you can’t have another indoor pet that gets too big but at the very worst he would most likely only get to be as big as a small-medium sized dog.

If nothing else, it’s certainly helpful for others to realize that dealing with pet pigs is very tough since it’s almost impossible to know their true size and full grown weight estimate early on. It’s a commitment and a little bit of a risk but these piggies make their way quickly into your heart.

Thanks for the reply… First, I want you to know we do love Gizmo and no matter the size he gets he is already part of the family 🙂 But, I’m worried, concerned, etc. cause to keep him inside would be virtually impossible if he gets too big! just imagine a 250 pound pig running around my lil house lol But, I do understand that the weight of a pig is much more compact than a dogs. I hope I said that correctly lol I mean, I have learned that a pig is actually heavier in weight than what their size looks like. Example: my 6 month old pigs are smaller than my pitbulls but weight maybe two times the pitts… The breeder I called stated that what I have is a potbellied pig and said “mine are teacups” as to say his were not potbellied and he said he can get me micro pigs too if I want. So I got confused, cause I was told and also read in many places that they ALL are potbelly pigs. There’s another site I found that states that they ALL are potbellied pigs just different sizes but there they say that a 100 lbs pig would be about the size of a 40 lbs dog… Also, that site states, and I quote ” A full grown potbellied pig can be anywhere from 100 to 250 lbs and not be overweight and considered a mini pig. The average weight seems to be 120 to 150 lbs but just like humans, pigs come in variours sizes, shapes and weights”. So that to brought on the confusion… Not only that but this site states “As for the so-called Teacup or Micro Mini pigs, these are just normal potbellied pigs that have been chronically underfed and malnourished in an attempt to keep them small. Their life span is maybe five years. This is because the pig stays tiny, but, the organs continue to grow normal size for a normal size pig. Teacups, Micro-Mini’s, European Bluebutts, these are all fancy names made up by breeders. All potbellied pigs within the US come from the same line.” FYI this site is http://www.pigs4ever.com/pot_belly_pig_information/breeds_and_types.php

The breeder I called specifically said full grown is at adult and adult is at 5 yrs old. As for growth, I know my farm hogs grow fast. But, since they are regular meat pigs I figured maybe the mini potbelly’s just grow really slow. Gizmo I think weighs around maybe 4 or 5 lbs. I’m not really sure cause since I haven’t gotten him to vet yet I just weighed him on my regular scale and obviously he wouldn’t stay still lol but that’s about what I got lol he is just a few inches longer than my teacup Chihuahua who weighs only 2 lbs. and Gizmo is maybe close to 2 times her body weight… So I use that too to help weigh him. He still is not eating his full 1/4 cup of food… He eats a lil of it when we give it to him then he drinks water and takes a nap and later will eat a lil more. But never finishes it up at once. He is getting along better everyday and he is drinking a good amount of water daily (about 2/3 of a big rabbit water bottle a day). And today we noticed he has gotten bigger and he is getting what I guess is their trade mark lol “a pot belly” lol After I got him, I bumped into another breeder and he had some for sale and was extremely interested in trying to get me to trade mine for one of his lol he even offered to give me one of his and another kind of game bird of my choice lol He wanted mine cause mine was going to be a lot smaller than his. He said his would only get to about 40 or 45 lbs. And I think he seemed to know the breeder I got mine from too at least that’s what it seems like to me or at least knew of him… I could be wrong! But, he was very interested in my Gizmo lol And there was another lady who was very knowledgeable about minis getting her mini too when I got mine. And she actually was giving me info on mini potbellied pigs too lol So, I felt comfortable that I wasn’t getting scammed or anything! At this point I would just like to know whats what lol I told my son and right away he said mom that’s too big for me I wanted a lil one I can cuddle with and put on my lap. He says he can handle Gizmo getting like my shish poos size… Its that in the past he has ended up loosing his bond with big animals cause they are too strong for him to handle so dad has to take over and then the get more attached to dad and he feels left out! And I haven’t discussed any of this with hubby yet lol haven’t been able to sit with him yet! He’s been so busy and me too off and on… Anyways, I will talk to the breeder, they’ll hopefully call me tomorrow or Sunday. Weekends are busy for them I hear. And I will try my meat pigs vet… Also, I left a message for a neighboring pig farm just to see if they haven any knowledge on pot bellied pigs.

I really thank you for your help you honestly put me alittle at ease. Its hard, cause you get so many ppl telling you so many different things. And you just don’t know what to believe! I went through the same with our goats, and game birds! But, with Gizmo its been more intense lol cause he was brought home to be like one of the family. Ahhhh All this craziness and he is carelessly resting on my sons lap napping lol too adorable! thanks again… Like both you and I said this will eventually help others someway 😉

It is very hard as you say to know. Mini pigs absolutely exist but it’s hard to put them in a weight category. I would highly doubt Gizmo will get to be 100 pounds but I couldn’t know. Best course is to contact the vet (but a pet vet, not one for meat!) as you say to make sure he is healthy. Coccolino went to the vet a couple of months ago and is in perfect health. No “stunted growth” or organs. Don’t believe everything you hear, just use Gizmo as your guide 🙂

Update: I went to see Gizmo’s parents… Dad and mom are small healthy minis. Dad is indeed about 15 to 18 lbs. mom looks more like 20 to 25 lbs maybe even 30. but, breeder said that with the extra weight from being pregnant and milking she and the other mamas have gotten a lot bigger. They checked and Gizmo is actually 13 weeks old now. They currently have 3 litters and one on way any day now. First litter was born April 4th, second on April 10th, and third on May 21st. They made an error in telling me he was 7 wks old when I got him… Gizmo was born April 10th! With that said we still think (after looking at mama) he will end up being bigger or heavier than breeder believes but, it’s ok! Its not too bad and we all love Gizmo so much! He is a joy… BTW: I noticed all the mamas looked more short legged than the papas. Is that a normal trait? Haaaa their bellies were so huge they just about ready to touch the ground, one thing I did state to the breeder is that 2 of their pigs were extremely overweight! I don’t even let my Yorkshire and Hamshire pigs get over weight. We want our big pigs meaty and healthy not fatty 😉 and our vet agrees! Well, next step is finding a vet that handles mini. I agree with you that he should have a pet vet. I’m on the hunt 🙂 thanks so much for everything And your right I always tell my son we can’t believe everything we read online and that’s why I continue to do research on minis and got so frustrated cause like who do you believe?! I feel much better in talking to you and going to see Gizmo’s parents… thx again

I am so glad to hear this! It sounds like it was a mixup and everything is okay and I am happy for your family and for Gizmo. Thank you for updating me and good luck. Stay in touch with pictures now and then!

Hi!
I am looking to get a mini pig and I had a few questions about a breeder who it saw in older posts you have had experience with. I was wondering if you could email me or I you to inquire more about said breeder.

Also I found your site to be very informational and I will take all of your advice into consideration when getting my own mini in the near future.

My little guy is 12 weeks and weighs 5lbs and I have seen both parents and is estimated between 25 – 35 pounds. His papa is very small mama is not tall but long bodied. Like you mentioned, weigh can be from large bones, stout bodies, not neccessarily from height.

So right off the bat I did not follow the “rules” when bringing piggy home. I didn’t keep him confined while potty training, I let him roam around the house. He had a couple of accidents, but basically is good when using him piddle pad. I chose not to use a litter box, and his piddle pad is easier to clean. He follows the dogs out to go potty after eating, and generally pottys outside more than in.

He doesn’t like to be confined (since I let him roam right off the bat) but he knows the routine now when me and my husband leave for work. I live in the mountains, so he can’t go outside unattended right now due to his size, so he knows that he spends some of is outside time in his playpen (a 6X6 covered dog kennel)

He is learning how to “come” when called, although he tends to go rogue on occassion and I have to go get him. I use cherrios for his training. I am not interested in teaching him tricks, just the basics.

I would love to hold my little guy, but that has been difficult training. I tried the hold until squeeling stops trick, but it gets me bit! lol He has bitten me a couple of times. I may try to give treats when holding, see if that works. Its frustrating because I want to cuddle and kiss my little guy, but it bites!! lol When he gets on my lap and tries to chew my headphones, i tap his nose tell him no! when he tries to bite, I put him in his pen on timeout. When his squeeling stops, I let him out to try again. This seems to work since he does not like to be confined. I need to get the biting to stop. Any suggestions? He bites my toes sometimes as well.

Hi and thank you for your visit! It sounds like you have a good little piggy (and biter!) on your hands.

The biting when being held is an issue many people face. What I recommend is holding your pig very tight with one part of him in the crook of your elbow and the other part over your arm and away from your body so he cannot get to you to bite you. His face should be over your arm so his mouth faces out. Make sure he is wrapped tightly in a blanket all his feet are not dangling at all.

What helped Coccolino was putting my hand by his snout to be able to suck gently on my hand and cover him. This gave him comfort but I would not recommend that for a biter 🙂

Treats will help calm him but do not give him any while he is screaming.

You are doing a great job as far as the reinforcement training goes and putting him in a time out when he does something he shouldn’t. Rewards are great when he stops squealing to let him know he is acting better!

Hi. I just got a mini pig on Sunday. She was born July 3rd. She is almost 3 weeks, really young I know. I don’t know how to feed her because she does not take her milk or rice cereal. I forcefeed most of the time. Is it normal for her to be always sleeping? I think she is a little weak as well, I think she may be constipated. What can I do to fix this? She has a somewhat fast heartbeat as well and almost always sleeps. Thank you so much.

Hi and thanks for your visit. This is a very delicate matter and since I am not a vet or trained in this way, I am unable to properly advise you. Please call a vet asap to understand the best ways to provide the necessary nutrition. Three weeks is very young and it is an extremely fragile state so even if you can’t get to a vet in the next day, call and get some help as soon as possible!

Rosie May is 9 weeks old. She came to us litter trainer at 6 weeks. Within a day she was going out our doggie door. (No accidents) The past two days she has urinated in the house. Any suggestions on how to break this?

That’s wonderful that she is already potty trained. Has anything changed in the past two days? Even something as small as a change to her routine? This might throw her off and she may be acting out. Is it on the rug or hard floor? If it’s a rug, you will need to keep her away from this area for a long time or she will continue to go there whether she is trained or not (pigs almost can’t resist the urge to pee where they smell it).

If you let me know some more details such as where she peed (in her space or elsewhere), when and if anything has changed, I will do my best to help you figure it out.

Yes, she peed on the carpet in the play room where we keep her. We have a large crate we kenel her in at night and she peed about 5 feet away from it. The other place was in our laundry room (tile) while she was drinking water.

Pigs, especially young pigs, will often do that while drinking water and there isn’t much to prevent it. As for the other incident, the carpet is a huge hit for pigs to go potty so you’ll have to keep her away if you can. If you can’t keep her out of that area, you’ll have to make sure she goes potty right before you let her into that space or else she will be tempted to go again.

I was just going to say that my little bandido has been doing so good about going potty where he should, but lately he has been having accidents. I’m going over and over in my head if anything has changed but can’t think of anything. He has had accidents on both hard floors and rugs. The other thing is that I know pigs drink a lot of water, is there such a thing as too much? Seems like all he does is drink and pee lol

Hi Esther, I feel your pain. Just the other day, full potty trained Coccolino was caught peeing right on the carpet by the front door. It is so frustrating!

Yes, a pig can have too much water (unless outside or in the heat). One little piggy we know just went to the vet today and was informed that he is just drinking too much water and that is the cause of all the accidents. He was recommended a quart of water per day (he is 20 pounds).

I wouldn’t hold back any water if he is outside or in the hot weather as cool water is their only way to cool off.

Remember, though, many pigs use potty “accidents” as a way to get the attention they are looking for. Or laziness. Coccolino went on the rug because it was right there instead of walking about ten feet to get to his potty spot!

Hi, ok well where I live right now it is really hot, so I can see why he stands at the waterer when he is outside. WHen he is inside, he doesn’t drink as much so I guess that is ok.

About the accidents, lately when I notice him heading to the rug, or acting like he might pee, I walk him to his potty pads and say “go pee pee” and he does. I think most of his accidents are when he is on hubby’s watch. When my husband gets home from work he just wants to sit and relax and watch TV. That is when Bandit does most of his accidents, so that could be an attention thing.

I just adopted a micro pig (Penny) and she is just turning 3 months. I had a questions that’s a bit of an odd one. I noticed she ‘leaks’ poop a lot around the house? What is that about? Is it just because she is young? Also how did you train your little one to go outside? Mine is currently using the litterbox and we take her outside 3x a day and make a big fuss when she uses the potty.

Thanks for your comment. You should really check this out as it is not normal at all. Diarrhea or that sort of leakage is not common in pigs unless there is stress or a bigger problem involved. Better to check with a vet and be sure!

As for going outside, it requires a lot of practice and patience. So that means taking her out pretty much every hour to try and get her to understand. Once she does it, definitely keep up that big fuss. When she goes inside, bring her immediately outside to where you want her to go and tell her “pee pee” or whatever you want to say. Having the litter box is great for in between but it will involve a lot of consistency and a bit of a time commitment, much like a puppy. Once pigs hold their bladder at 10 months, it will not be so difficult 🙂

Oh great, please let me know what they say! Yes, 1/2 cup twice a day is fine. If your piggy is under 20 pounds, 1/4 cup twice a day is usually fine as per vets’ recommendations but I always up it a little to make sure they are getting enough. Also supplements like green vegetables help!

So I took her to the vet an explained my odd predicament with Penny leaking poop (only 2x on 6 days and not consecutively and usually later in the day). She is healthy as can be but because she was getting into new foods that she was never introduced to before (dog food, a few dropped chips) she got an upset stomach. Plus she’s only 3 months old 🙂

I got a mini pig about a week ago & he is supposed to b around 16 weeks. I’ve trained him outside & he’s been doing really well with it & pretty much everything however he does have a tendency to pee on flip flops. Is there anything I can do to stop this??

Now that’s a first! I had never heard that one and it sounds like an interesting maneuver to pee on a flip flop. I’m wondering if the material seems like something he associates with peeing. I would try to not let him near flip flops and see if he finds some other spot or if he really just has a connection between flip flops and peeing!

Hi there! We have a Speckled Juliana Mini named Maxwell. We’ve had him nearly a year and he just turned 1 last month. He’s been potty trained and has been doing well for a long time. He’s gotten into the habit of pooping outside but he has a litter box he uses inside to pee when needed. We go out out of our way to change the pad first thing every morning so it’s not too dirty, keep it away from his bedding, always keep it in the same spot, etc. Lately he keeps peeing in the dining room in the same corner. We clean and clean and Clorox so the smell is gone. We let him out and in throughout the day, everything we can think of!! But if were gone for a few hrs during the day, or just doing other things and not paying attention to him he’ll go off into the dining room and pee. Our floors are ruined in that area!!!! Help?!?!

We had this very same problem, but it was on our living room carpet. The only thing you really can do to avoid it is to not let him get to that area. When a pig smells their own pee, no matter how much it has been cleaned, they will keep going there. There are enzyme cleaners you can use but that never worked for us. The only thing that curbed his bad habit was not letting him ever go to that spot again! Such a pain but it’s really the only way . . .

we recently purchased a mini pig, and i was told she was 10 weeks old. The breeder gave us a case of milk to put over the food she also gave us. I’m concerned she will not eat anything solid and is still wanting to nurse on anything she can suck on. I’m taking her to the vet tomorrow, but was hoping maybe you had some advise on getting her to eat solid food. She is not even excited about fruits. She is very good with using the indoor litter box and outside. The sucking and not eating food is the biggest issue. she only wants the milk supplement.

Hi Brandi, thanks for your visit. Pigs will get very dependent on and spoiled by their yummy rich milk. It is a habit that many young piggies form. I have helped others with this same issue so if you read this page you should find more detailed information. Essentially, you just want to start to soak his solid food in the milk and use less and less milk every day so it is an easy and gradual adjustment away from the milk. Pigs don’t like change so it needs to be a slow change. Good luck, I’m sure the vet will have helpful information for you!

I have a 6 wk old female pig. I have taken her in and to be honest I was not prepared. She has bonded with me yesterday and is settling in beautifully. I was looking into something for her to sleep in at night and when I am out. I am wondering if you think one of the portable playpen kennel exercise tent house is fine. I am concerned that the older she gets she may tear the mesh or fabric and possibly knock the tent over. Do you have an opinion on me using this for her? I am on a budget, but I do want to make sure she is safely secure with room to play.

Hi, I had a question and I was hoping you could help me. My mini pig weighs 20lbs and is about 8 months old. She just started eating the Mazuri Active Youth about 3 weeks ago, if I am correct. She eats 1/4 cup in the morning and 1/4 cup at night; with a lettuce and kale salad during the day. But I’ve started noticing she seems hungrier than usual since we switched to the new bag of food. Am I just not feeding her enough or is she just always going to be acting hungry because she’s a pig??

My little guy weighs 10lbs and he gets around that. I also use mazuri, and the youth is up to 4 months old I believe, then switch to active adult. I do adjust the percentage of body weight to food ratio depeneding upon excercise and Bandit also gets vegggies mid day. at 2% he gets 90g a day which is around a 1/4 cup X 2 . He doesn’t act hungry, but will always take a cheerio if offered. He also likes to shop in the fridge when the door is open because he knows his veggies are in there. I keep him on a tight feeding schedule (even on weekends i get up at 4a.m. to feed to keep it regular) and up until feeding time, he does not beg. I usually give him 3 % of body weight on weekends because he runs around much more. 68g. Just my thoughts since I am feeding the same feed. 🙂

I wanted to update you on our piglet, Penny. Apparently she never developed an anus. My vet said she is in good health otherwise, but we would have to keep an eye on her and give her meds for UTI’s as she does her business out of one hole :/ I saw online that some people put their piglets to sleep when this happens, but with our little penny (3 1/2 mo), she is happy and healthy otherwise. She is just a little more messy and most likely will not live as long. SO there is hope for these special needs piglets, but I wouldn’t advise buying a piglet without all its working parts 🙁

I also wanted to let you know how helpful your blog is to all piggy lovers as there really isn’t much out there for pet minis. Keep up the wonderful site and your little one is just too cute!

Hi! I recently got a teacup pig, he is 16 weeks old & his name is Oliver. Sadly, so far my cat doesn’t like him & hisses & grawls at me when I go to pet her or pick her up. I don’t know what to do. He is neutered, will getting her spayed make her better? Please help with any advice you have! Thanks!

I am going to pick up my 8 week old pig in about a week and I was just wondering are they good animals to have? Are they aggressive toward dogs? And how old is cocco and how much does he weigh?
Thank you for any help!
Kendall

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Hi! I’m thinking about getting a mini pig for my family but have a few questions first:

1. We have young children and a new baby on the way, so I want to make sure mini pigs are kind and gentle pets. I know training goes a long way, but are they innately gentle or does it need to be taught? Because of our housing situation (which I’ll get to in a minute), we’re ideally looking for the love and affection of a dog with a cat’s ease of maintenance. Is that how you would describe mini pigs?

2. Will mini pigs live happily mostly indoors? We live in a medium-sized house in a town (small town, but still a town). Our yard isn’t very usable, as we have a 6-ft high retaining wall bordering two sides of our property with no fence (we’re planning to get one, but not for a long while because of funding). Since we have a playground/park nearby, I don’t allow my kids to use the yard because of the dropoff, but it is still fairly flat. My question is, can a pig live solely indoors (like a cat) with the occasional walk, or does it need a yard to graze? We also live in an area that has horrible winters — and I have kids — so I can’t guarantee frequent walks. I suppose I could leash it in the flat/safe portion of the yard, but is that cruel? And can it handle snow and cold weather? Also, do pigs run away like other pets if left unleashed or can they learn to stay within yard boundaries) and ideally, away from the high retaining wall? If they do run, will they come when you call them or just ignore you like cats?

3. After they get acclimated to the house and kids, and learn their boundaries, can they roam freely around the house and sleep with us?

1. I have young children too. Mine were 3 and 1 when Coccolino came to us. It was very difficult to try to coordinate since my one year old was very dependent on me! Still, I wouldn’t say it was too much if you are willing to make the necessary time for a pet pig.

Most mini pigs are very kind and gentle however just like every animal it really depends on their environment and training. Getting one when they are ready for a new home at 8-12 weeks is a good idea since you will be able to really raise one.

Pigs are very affectionate once the bond has been established (this will require patience and work on the part of every member of the family, including the kids, if you want this relationship). That said, I would hesitate to compare a mini pig to a dog or a cat. They are like both in many ways however keep in mind that training and maintaining a mini pig requires so much patience, especially when it comes to potty training and the accidents that may occur over the first year, even after potty trained. I have not found this in any pet dog I have ever had.

2. Mini pigs can live happily indoors and will appreciate grazing in the nice weather. It is not fully necessary but definitely enjoyable for them and I would recommend an enclosure that you can place outside. Walks really aren’t necessary and a yard for grazing isn’t either, it’s just nice for the pig. We rarely walk Coccolino but he is outside in his enclosure every day when it’s nice. He is perfectly fine inside too. They do not like snow and cold so inside is definitely better or else you need to be prepared to keep him/her warm. Definitely keep a pig in an enclosure to avoid wandering away. It most likely wouldn’t happen intentionally, just grazing from one spot to another and before you know it s/he has gone out of sight. I cannot imagine your pig going near the retaining wall but obviously you’d need to keep an eye. If you train your pig, s/he will definitely come when called (especially if a treat is involved in training).

3. They can roam freely, I would just make sure you have seen your pig go potty before having free reign, especially in the first ten months when your pig wouldn’t have control of his/her bladder. They love to sleep closely, on top of you if possible.

4. Pigs don’t smell at all 🙂 They only lose their hair once a year and it lasts a couple weeks. Otherwise no shedding at all.

Hi there. 1 – I have a 1 and a half year old micro teacup that currently weighs 75 pounds. I am interested in a true micro to add to our family. May I ask for your advise as to where I may purchase one? Also, My pig, Bessie Pearl came from Texas as did yours. Maybe we could discuss? 2. – Most importantly, Bessie Pearl is pouring! drool out of her mouth. It is so much drool that she can literally soak through all of my bedding to the mattress as I hosed down the bed. I hope you can help me help her. Thanks so much. P.S. I love your site, you seem pretty great to help all of us out with your experience.

Hello, I hope you got my email last night. I’m not sure of the problem but I hope your pig did not ingest something toxic that is making her salivate so much. Please contact a vet asap to make sure you can explain all her symptoms. Please let me know what they say!

Help! I have a 3 month old mini pig I got from a breeder online. I know pigs and other pets are so different so I need some help! Butters is antisocial and doesn’t seen interested in anything but naps and food. I know he’s a pig but he literally won’t do anything but roam around looking for food. If you try to give him a treat he won’t even pay attention to it if you don’t give It to him immediately. He will continue on his way looking for something himself. The only toy he will play with is one the dispenses treats as he pushes. If I out in anything that doesn’t just freely fall out for him to eat, he will not play. He often stands in the corner or hides under the bed just licking his about. Is this normal? If it is then I’m completely fine! I just see other pigs being more interactive and friendly. I don’t want him to produce bad habits or if I’m doing something wrong I want to know. I’ve contacts my breeder with no response. She was helpful with a few other problems and very kind through the entire process until I sent an email with this problem.

Hi there! Butters (adorable name) might need some gentle socializing. Many pigs don’t play and just prefer their blankets. Coccolino is one of them, he just doesn’t enjoy playing except for an occasional run around with the kids. Some pigs have enjoyed stuffed animals or squeaky toys but others just show no interest. So in that regard, Butters is acting like a normal piggy.

As for being antisocial, he might require a little more attention not only from you but from anyone you can think of that will gently sit with him. It doesn’t sound like he is biting or aggressive so that’s good but I would recommend helping him come out of his shell more by having more people just sit and pet him. If you want to try to harness him and walk him, you can do that too. Just get him around more people and hopefully that will make a gradual difference! Pigs really love to cuddle so he might be a quiet cuddler and not interested in other interactions yet.

Ok, I’m freaking out! Just got a potbelly pig, literally today @ 9am. Picked her up today and the breeder comes to explain to me that she is about 4 weeks old. She is about a foot long not including tail. At first for maybe about an hour or so, she did not want to be held at all. Now, all she does is sleep on my lap or wrapped in her blankie or on the bed all wrapped up under the covers. My concern, my big concern, is that she either wasn’t weaned (which is where I’m leaning to), wasn’t introduced to food at all, or was just introduced to hog feed. I live in Puerto Rico and I have looked everywhere for the past weeks for pot belly pig food and nothing. So, I made the decision to go organic. Oatmeal, nuts, veggies (kales spinach carrots), and small amounts of fruits. Also I picked up some flintstone gummy vitamins & plain greek yogurt. I have done a fair amount of research and all state to place the food in front of her with her snout in the bowl; well thats not working. I have tried giving her oatmeal, nothing. Veggies, nothing. Apples, nothing. Water, nothing. All she wants to do is sleep.

I have to say, I’m quite frighten, that she may not have been properly taken away from her momma & was completely on sow milk. Right now, as I write this, she’s sleeping on my lap. Is she stressed out? Is she depressed? I’m going to give it until tomorrow, if she persists, I’m taking her to a vet. I just need some advice because this new piggy momma is scare. 🙁

Hi I am so sorry, I can understand your fear! First of all, four weeks and a foot long doesn’t seem to add up for a mini pig. If you can get a weight, that might help. My fear is that she is actually even younger and a bigger pig, not a mini pig.

You are right to assume she probably wasn’t weaned at all. At four weeks, it is crucial for her to be nursing. Pigs should nurse until at least eight weeks old. It is extremely difficult to maintain the needs of a pig this young and I’m almost 100% sure that she is not eating because she doesn’t really know what to do with this food.

Your best immediate bet is to get some goat milk and feed that to her until you can get to a vet. She really needs a milk substitute. Please do this as soon as you are able to since her age means her health is very delicate. She definitely needs a vet as soon as they open.

Please keep me updated but get some goat’s milk or nursing substitute for your pig as soon as possible and warm it slightly (barely warm) and give that to her. Good luck please keep me posted.

Hi! I’ve had my mini pig Oliver for about a month now, he is 4 months old and is doing great with almost everything in my house expect going potty on the floors & the issue with the stairs. He is absolutely terrified of the stairs & refuses to go up or down them even when I bribe him with food. Do you have any advice on how I can teach him to use them? They are carpeted so he won’t slip on them or anything. I just won’t always be able to carry him up & down them, he won’t be this small forever. Thanks!

Hi and thanks for your visit 🙂 So pigs actually don’t like to do stairs and also shouldn’t do them, to an extent. Their bodies really aren’t built to do stairs well and as they age doing stairs is a big problem. Most pigs will go up stairs, but they refuse to go down stairs. The only way to teach them and bribe them is to really use lots of food! Even Coccolino, after two years, refuses to go down stairs and I discourage him from going up because he will get stuck upstairs and because it’s not good on his body.

That said, if you have a way to put a ramp of some sort, that is a great idea. We use a ramp for Coccolino and that’s not a problem for him at all. I know it’s not always possible so in that case I would just advise to find a situation that avoids using stairs at all if you can!

Hi there. My “teacup” pig, BessiePearl, has always refused to go down stairs. I believe it is due to the fact that, especially as they get larger, their head and neck become a problem due to gravity. I think they understand that they will likely tumble head first if trying to go down stairs. I have ramps going down into the yard, down into the garage, and for my (large) vehicle. BessiePearl will go up and down a 3 stair stepstool to get in her chair or the couch or my bed. You can cheaply build your ramps or you can order online. I’ve done both. I use Dr. Fosters online. Good luck!

I think my pig hates me.. haha No really I think she does. Its been almost a week since I’ve had her. I’ve encountered my fair share of awesomeness & fear with her this week. uff! First, she doesn’t want to eat veggies or fruit. So, for her to eat them I’ve tricked her into blending all the goodness with some goats milk & baby cereal. Worked! phew! Now, she completely hates me. She’s been like this for 3 days. Where she doesn’t even let me get close to her. She now refuses to sleep on the bed. My daughter has those twin beds that have a pull out bed under, well she loves that. I’m wondering if shes afraid of me because of picking her up so much or if I did something to her, since I’ve read that they get mad and hold grudges. She alone from 8-1 during the workweek, but I leave her with teddies & blankets. She does let me get close to her when she’s sleepy to rub her belly & just drops to one side, but that’s about it now. I’ve bribed her with cheerios, which worked, but she won’t get no more than 2 feet close to me. She does wiggle her tail when I call her. I think Ms. Peppa Pig is either mad at me or just doesn’t trust me much yet.

Oh no, I am so sorry! First of all, I would suggest slowing down on picking her up/carrying her. Pigs do not like to be up in the air AT ALL so she might be so scared. Try to bond with her on her own terms: on the ground and when she is sleeping.

At this point, I would suggest giving her licks of peanut butter, frozen yogurt, cream cheese, etc. Something that will make her really excited to be near you 🙂

Give it some time. Pigs really do need to adjust and learn on their own terms how to feel safe and comfortable and the more patient you are the better it will be. Please update again soon! xo

Leaving a pig alone for too long is not recommended . . . they really need and desire attention and affection. Unless you are thinking of getting two, I don’t know if a pig is the best pet since they get lonely. Of course people do it however pigs tend to react negatively and sometimes become destructive if they are lonely or left alone too long.

We have a 3 month old Te cup and have noticed how large his two front bottom teeth are. We are worried about oral care and hoping the length of them will not grow into his top. He has become a part of our family. Although spoiled we keep him well within his boundries. And he is well behaved and his care is very important to us. Thank you for all your information provided on your site. It’s been our go to page lately.

I’m so glad I can help! That’s wonderful how much you are enjoying your pig and what great care you are taking.

Pigs go through several sets of teeth so he will most likely be losing them and growing new teeth in the first 18 months to two years of life. I wouldn’t be concerned about it but dental care is always helpful. If you use a dog toothbrush, you can do some swipes and gentle brushing if you are able to 🙂

Hi! I just brought home my first micro pig – Bennett. He is four weeks old. He has been home for three days and he is slowly beginning to drink a little water and the Unimilk out of a little bowl that the breeder advised to give him for four additional weeks. He has already bonded with me and roots into my arm and sleeps in my neck. He has yet to make it to the litter box (which is fine as I didn’t expect that to be easy). I guess my question is should I be adding baby cereal or pig pellets to his diet now? Also, I think he is urinating in his crate. I have a dog crate with a heating pad and blankets over it and I also have a comfy dog bed with blankets next to that for him to sleep. Any suggestions on why he would be doing this where he is sleeping? Thanks so much!

Hi and thanks for your visit. That is not very common for pigs to urinate where they sleep however he is extremely young – too young to be away from his mom! This is something the breeder should not have allowed though if you are willing to take the time and attention such a young pig requires, that’s very admirable.

He is still at a stage where he should be nursing so I’d wait at least another week or more to add pig pellets in. You will want to do this gradually so it’s not a fast transition.

As for the urinating, he might not know to go in the litter box. Try to get a little “sample” of his urine and put the material (paper, fabric, etc) inside the litter box so he realizes that is where he is supposed to go. Sometimes they just need to be taught and he is so young that he might not know where to go. You can also try to place him on it and tell him to go and if he does give him a reward of some sort and tell him what a good job he did.

I need help! Hah. I have a 10 week old mini pig. Have had her since she was 4 weeks. And has always done good with using a littler box or going outside. But mostly her box. She recently has decided to stop peeing in her box and goes whenever she drinks water by the bowl This has been going on for weeks now and I don’t know what else to do. I try and correct her, saying no and putting her in her box but the problem hasn’t gotten any better at all. It doesn’t matter where I move her water dish. Or how hard I watch her. She will just start going while drinking water. Please help. My boyfriend has about had it and I don’t want to have to get rid of her! 🙁 please email me back with any advice or help. Is this a common problem??? Thanks -Meegen

Hi Meegan, good news. This is almost to be expected with pigs, especially younger pigs. They cannot control their bladder for several months and almost all pigs do this. He will grow out of it, you need to be patient! If she is drinking water, try to have her standing in the litter box with her bowl right outside the box. This might help. It is VERY common!

Okay. Thank you so much! Makes me feel better that Harley isn’t the only piggy that does that. I keep her large automatic water feeder out of her play pen and put a puppy pad under it. Is that okay? And should I just keep correcting her by saying “no” and putting her in the box? I hate putting the pad under there. I don’t want her to think I approve of it, but I’m just loosing my mind and going through rolls of paper towels every day cleaning it. And should I just keep a small bowl of water in her pen all day when I’m gone? I want to make sure she has plenty of water when I’m gone to work (9 hours a day, but only 3 days a week) thanks for all hour help and advice!!! -Meegen

Hi, yes, all of what you said would be great 🙂 I used to think I should take stock in Bounty – we went through so many paper towels, it was frustrating and a huge waste.

She needs to learn so definitely keep correcting her and immediately – or even during – put her in the right spot. She does need access to water so a small bowl should be fine though she might actually knock it over before even drinking it. Good luck!

when my piggy was a baby I had no idea you couldn’t leave bowls of food or water in their cage, haha I called my breeder and asked how do I stop it from knocking over his bowls?? He laughed and said you only put food out when he eats, when he’s done you remove the bowl, so I asked and water ? he couldn’t give me an answer cause his pigs were outside with troughs.

So I got smart, I use a cookie sheet for his food, it’s flat and he might scoot it but he never tips it. And for water I used this when he was a baby, it was his potty box at first and when he out grew it (potty trained and dog door trained now) I exchanged it for his water, http://www.bin-store.com/qsb107co it’s a flat bin that’s low in front so he can drink out of it and climb in it for that matter but can’t knock it over. He eventually outgrew that and now I use a very heavy plastic bowl that’s flat on the bottom about 4-5 inches tall and very wide, he drinks of it and never dumbs it !

That is so clever! Yes these piggies make such a mess tipping things over. Coccolino grew out of that habit but many pigs never do. That’s so great that you figured out a system that works, thanks for sharing 🙂

Hey there back about Butters! He enjoys running around outside now and is learning a trick every day or two so he has come out his shell so much! He has been a much happier piggy! We are now having problems with waking up in the morning. No matter what time we put him to bed he is up at 4 am. Every single morning. He screeeaaammmsss, those wonderful piggy screams, until we let him out of his crate. I don’t want to teach him that if he screams, he gets his way but I have let him in there for up to an hour without ANY ceasing in the screams. When he is out he cries to get on the bed but when he is on the bed he wants down. He calms down some when he has breakfast but not much. Will he grow out of this? Would letting him sleep in another room help? I do not know what to do! He does not respond to any form of punishment either….help

I am so sorry to hear this – I get emails with this problem all the time. It is so frustrating to deal with because the screams are horrific and it’s hard not to give in just to establish some quiet again. You’re right, letting him out and/or feeding him when he screams isn’t the best practice at teaching he shouldn’t do it but I do understand why you do. Is there anywhere else he can sleep where you wouldn’t hear him? It would definitely be best to let him scream and scream to no consequence and if he can do this somewhere that is out of your sight/earshot, it would be the most effective.

Otherwise, just give him a big snack right before bedtime and see if that helps to get him to go longer. Let me know, it’s so frustrating so hang in there!

Not necessarily. Pigs should not be left alone with dogs since even gentle playing could result in injury for the pig (a paw swipe, etc). Many dogs and pigs get along and are best friends but it should always be supervised.

Hi! I have a pet teacuppig named Oliver, he is a sweet heart but we have been having a couple issues lately. One, when anyone walks into the kitchen and walks out or during dinner when everyone is getting their food, Oliver will chase them and squel as loud as possible. It’s really annoying and loud. Two, he doesn’t let me sleep in pass 7 am & if I don’t wake up he will scream and bite me feet till I do. And lastly, sense I work 9-5 Monday through Friday, I keep him in my bedroom while I’m gone, he has a litter box with puppy pads inside. We are having a real trouble with the smell and it won’t seem to give up. If you have any advice please help. Thank you!

Hi, I have a mini pig named Simon who is about 3mos old and has been in our family for 1.5 months. We also have three Golden Retievers who are kind and patient dogs. We also have three kids. I don’t really know what typical behaviors are for a pig. Simon likes to go sideways towards our dogs and then suddenly jump and snip at their faces. They react by snapping at him and barking or growling. The strange thing is that it doesn’t deter Simon and he continues to “provoke” them. He particularly does this with my oldest dog. I am not clear at this point if he is playing or being aggressive. No blood has been drawn but we are not sure if this is his way of playing. Our dogs play with each other with their mouths and growl at each other as well but since he is little we are concerned about him. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks, The Schneiberg Family

Hi and thanks for your visit. This behavior should be stopped because it seems like Simon is trying to assert his position as “top pig” in the hierarchy, which is natural for pigs. However, it is not a good thing because if he thinks he is top pig, over the dogs, he can treat them how he deems best.

I’m not 100% sure he isn’t playing but it sounds like a case of him trying to assert his position. First, limit any free interaction with him and the dogs to only being supervised. I’m assuming he is much smaller but it doesn’t mean he couldn’t harm the dogs with his teeth if he does bite. Most of the time, pigs are more fearful of dogs but it sounds like Simon is definitely trying to engage them. If you want to encourage playing you can try to run him in circles, around a table, a couch, etc. Some pigs enjoy that kind of play and if you can get your dogs to join in, gently, that might help.

Otherwise, try to encourage a positive relationship with the dogs. When Simon is sleepy or resting with you, try to get him tucked up in a blanket sleeping near one of your dogs so he is tired and restful rather than aggressive or playful. Pigs love warm bodies so maybe you could foster this sort of bonding.

However, if he does keep up this assertion of top pig, try having a water squirt bottle handy and squirt him right before or as he is provoking the dogs. Running sideways is an indication of more aggression than playing so try to stop him. Yelling at him won’t prevent this so he needs to be deterred by either a squirt of the water bottle or putting him in a confined area. Try to limit his free reign too so he doesn’t feel as though he owns the house. Let me know if any of these tactics work out!

Hi! I have a pet teacuppig named Oliver, he is a sweet heart but we have been having a couple issues lately. One, when anyone walks into the kitchen and walks out or during dinner when everyone is getting their food, Oliver will chase them and squel as loud as possible. It’s really annoying and loud. Two, he doesn’t let me sleep in pass 7 am & if I don’t wake up he will scream and bite me feet till I do. And lastly, sense I work 9-5 Monday through Friday, I keep him in my bedroom while I’m gone, he has a litter box with puppy pads inside. We are having a real trouble with the smell and it won’t seem to give up. If you have any advice please help. Thank you!

Hi there. First, he needs to be put somewhere away from the food during mealtime or you will never eat in peace 🙂 You cannot let him bite or nip, that’s not acceptable so make sure to curb that behavior by gently nudging his snout to the side as a pig would do to another pig to discourage behavior.

Pigs have a very distinct routine. If he normally eats at 7 am, he will want to eat at 6 am every day. They just want to eat their breakfast as soon as they are up. So in order to help prevent him from waking you, he should probably sleep in another room if you are looking to sleep later. That is the only thing that may help.

Does he use the puppy pads or is he having accidents elsewhere? It is definitely a smell, I understand that. There isn’t much to do because he will need to go to the bathroom during the time you are out. I have heard that ferret drops put into drinking water helps eliminate the odor of the urine, you can try that, however other than air fresheners it’s hard to remove the smell of puppy pads in a daily environment. You can try to keep him in another room that if that helps, or with a fan for ventilation. Let me know how it goes!

I am the one with Oliver, just today I found a way to keep the urrine smell at bay! Sense I have wood floors I have prieces of carpet under or near all of Oliver’s things so when he gets excited to go to it or is running, he won’t slide around the floor. Where his litter box is, I sprinkled a thick layer of baking soda under it, under the carpet, and on the litter box under the puppy pad. Then I made a mixture of vinegar and lemon juice & sprayed the area under the carpet. As soon I did this, the urnine smell was completely gone. I even went to the extent of having my mother visit to ask her how it smelled and she didn’t smell a thing!

I’ve a micro pig for a couple of weeks, in general I think both are doing ok, still having some problems when I put the harness for taking him out but when we go out we do fine. Now the problem I’m having is that during nights he get desperate and start crying and making noises, I don’t know if is because he want to be out or asking for food. I’m feeding him 1/4 of cup two times a day, he must be now around 6lb, I don’t know if I’m underfeeding him or that’s right, or as I explain he is just crying to manipulate. If this is the reason this crying will stop? What can I do? Is it just a temporary thing?Any thing will help me.

I have a feeling your pig is crying because he is bored, lonely, hungry or a combination of all three. 1/4 cup of pellets twice a day is okay but if you want to up that to 1/2 cup one or both times that’s fine too (though start out slowly). I do have a feeling your pig is just trying to get your attention though. Maybe try a bigger meal in the evening, 1/2 cup, and also some veggies in between. Or maybe right before bedtime give him some veggies to fill his tummy.

If your pig can see you at all during the night, try to move him to a place where he can’t. Your pig will stop crying if you ignore him but I do understand how hard that is!

Thanks for your answer, yes I was thinking that maybe with more food but I don’t want to overfeed him, I’ll include some veggies as you said and see what happens. Yes it’s difficult to ignore. I’ll do it and tell you what happen. Thanks again.

Hi!
I have wanted a mini pig for so long and I got my Kiki October 3. She was 2 weeks old when we got her which I now see was far too young. The breeder acted like she would be fine. I feed her milk replacement for baby animals through a bottle and nipple for baby animals. About a week ago she had a seizure like episode and was unresponsive and limp. I fed her sugar water and formula with a syringe andshe came to after a few hours. Vet said she was hypoglycemic and needed feed every 2-3 hours. I’ve been doing that but the milk replacement isn’t holding her over and she’s waking throughout the night even. I’ve tried pig pellets wet down with formula but she stubbornly refuses. How can I get her switched over or give her something with more substance?

Sondra very kindly responded to this comment and considering her firsthand experience, I would go by that! I am so sorry for your troubles and really hope that Sondra’s suggestion can help. I think she is still too young for pellets but maybe in the next week or two you can try to mush them up with the formula/cereal to mix in.

My pig was 8 weeks when I got him and I had him on formula for a week or so, per my breeder, Eugene Bacon was far hungrier so what I did was by (Human) Rice cereal from Gerber for babies and mixed it with his formula (you’ll need to cut the nipple hole larger for the formula to come through) he loved it, wasn’t hard on his tummy, it’s rice and it did it’s job of filling him up and satisfying his hunger !!

Hi there
We have a 5 month old neutered male. He keeps weeing on the carpets. We have a litter tray which he sometimes uses and we cant confine him because he squeals and we live in a terraced house. We take him outside every hour when we can and confine him when we are out. We don’t know how to stop and discipline him as shouting doesn’t work. Please help!

The carpets can be a pig parent’s worst enemy. Is there any way that you can prevent him from going in the carpeted rooms? He doesn’t need to be confined to a kennel or anything but if there is a way to keep him from going onto the carpet that might help him get through these next couple of months before he is in more control of his bladder. He might be squealing if you are out of sight while he is stuck in a certain area. Unfortunately with a pig, you need to try to ignore those screams so he realizes he isn’t winning and getting exactly what he wants when he does it. It seems endless now but he will most likely stop this behavior as he gets a little older. Make sure you are giving him a lot of quality time and tire him out or find him an entertaining toy (just reviewed some on my blog post today) to keep him stimulated.

I got my new baby 1 week ago, her name is Justa and she is super sweet!! I am a little worried because she doesn’t want to eat her pig food. I am looking for advice as to what others have mixed in their food to make it more appealing?? She goes to the bathroom regularly and is drinking, she will also eat treats (which I have now stopped giving her since she stopped eating her food) so I am not r3eally worried about her health YET but would like her to start eating…

Hi and thanks for your comment! Yes, many people are in similar situations where their pigs do not want to eat their pig food. You can try to mix it with goat milk or even plain yogurt and increasingly cut back on the goat milk/yogurt. It will be a gradual transition though so be patient!

Hi my fiancé got his birthday present from his mom. An adorable mini pig! Her name is Miss Piggy haha. I have one question and I need your help!! I had her for few months now. She started rubbing and pushing me roughly with her nose on my arms. It hurts!! I did everything what she needed (food take her outside etc). My fiancé helped me took piggy away from me for a bit she started screaming.. came back to me and kept rubbing her nose against me it hurts… I even covered her in blanket she loves sleeping with me. Sometime she won’t she took a while til she finally went under blanket and sleep with me. I have no idea what is she trying to tell me. 🙁

Hi, that is so wonderful about Miss Piggy being a birthday present! Before you get too upset, you should know that all pigs make this gesture/behavior and it’s rooting. It is natural and important for them to do so. The fact that she is doing it on you is a HUGE compliment – she really loves and trusts you! I remember when Coccolino first rooted on me I almost cried tears of joy that he finally accepted me.

So, you don’t want to discourage or even worse punish this behavior. You want to transfer it. The reason I started making my rooting blankets (in my Etsy Coccolino Creations shop) is because someone like you was dealing with this and her pig was bruising her arms, legs, etc. So I came up with a rooting blanket that was strong enough to withstand a snout.

It doesn’t have to be my blanket, just make sure you use a strong and thick durable blanket to put between you and Miss Piggy so she can still root but gradually and gently move the blanket off of you so she likes to root into her blanket and stops rooting into you.

Hi honey. I’m sure it’s not my place exactly, but I also got my “tiny” baby pig that grew and grew! I feel like there is no way you should confine your pig to a small area. They need lots of space (as they age). Do you have a yard? Pigs left in small spaces can do some serious damage, I personally think mine does because she’s having a temper tantrum because I left.. Anyway, Pigs live a long time. They are super smart, I would say you don’t currentlyhave enough space for a pig. I’m sorry 🙁

Hello, I’m glad you and your parents are doing some research! I would suggest reading through all of the questions and answers on this page as these are the most common issues that people with mini pigs face. Potty issues are tough and last months and sometimes longer. Pigs are also stubborn and they can be destructive if bored or unfixed. They are loving pets but require a good deal of attention and discipline.

Hi honey. I’m sure it’s not my place exactly, but I also got my “tiny” baby pig that grew and grew! I feel like there is no way you should confine your pig to a small area. They need lots of space (as they age). Do you have a yard? Pigs left in small spaces can do some serious damage, I personally think mine does because she’s having a temper tantrum because I left.. Anyway, Pigs live a long time. They are super smart, I would say you don’t currentlyhave enough space for a pig. I’m sorry 🙁

I do agree that it would not be possible or even practical to keep a pig in just one room or especially a pen. The pig will not do well and will most likely drive you crazy with frustrating behavior. Guinea pigs would be fine of course but a real pig, even a mini pig, would not work well in this situation.

Hello,
I wondered if you could please give me some advice? My pet piggy Bacon has had a sudden change in behaviour, he’s 2 and half months now and has been brilliant so far, however, over the last week or so I’ve noticed he has been grinding his teeth (a lot) and has become really needy and grumpy. He constantly squeals for your attention (he does not give in too) and then when he finally settles on your knee or you give him the attention he is asking for he grumbles, shoves you away and has occasionally tried to nip. He has also become more distant and grumpy with the dogs, usually he loves to run around with them. It’s like he doesn’t know what he actually wants from us. Is there something I have missed and maybe haven’t noticed or could this be teething and discomfort or do I have a grumpy baby pig with bad habits? Some days he is back to his normal self playing and enjoying the attention and loving tickles etc but it seems he’s the complete opposite and grumpy most days now. Any advice would be brilliant it’s really disheartening as I worry he’s not happy, thank you.

Yes the grinding is very normal as pigs get several sets of teeth. It is uncomfortable for them sometimes so you can offer cold treats or even ice chips! Frozen peanut butter in dog kong toys are a good option. Is your pig neutered?

It could definitely be behavioral. Try to take a step back and keep him separated from the dogs for a little bit. It might also just be a stage or discomfort from his teething however that’s unlikely since it typically wouldn’t cause such a big change. Spend a little more time with him while he is resting and pet him and get him to feel comfortable and back to his normal self. Hand feed him too and see how he responds.

Thank you very much for all the advice. We had a terrible day with him yesterday so I just ignored his bad behaviour, just telling him no gently and walking away and ignored any of his attention demanding. Then last night I let him come into the lounge and again ignored him, in his own time he came and snuggled on my lap and was soon asleep after his belly tickles. Today he has been back to his loving mischievous Bacon self (including insisting on sitting on my back trying to swing from my hair whilst I cleaned out the cupboards) I’m going to take every day with a pinch of salt with him I know he’s only young so he’s still got a lot to learn. Plus I think he’s figured out when he’s ‘getting to me’ and that’s when I think he plays up more. Fingers crossed and thank you again.

There were some days (okay many) in the beginning that I wasn’t sure I could do it. It is very trying and often discouraging but once the piggy is settled and has completely come to a routine, things get much easier. Also time helps. When they are a little older it is much easier to manage and actually enjoy more 🙂

If your pig wasn’t sent to you with vaccinations, you should definitely call your vet to see what they recommend. Usually they require an annual checkup after the initial visit so while your pig is still young you should see a vet. Worming meds are usually optional but a vet can better answer that.

I just got my 8 week old mini piglet a week ago. She is so good. Very cuddly and only mild protests abut being picked up, we only hit super sonic leels the first pick up try the second day. My question is, how the heck did you get coco in his harness in the beginning? It looks like you had a step in harness, which is what I got, but for the frustration of me and poor Penny I can not get her to stand still enough long enough for me to snap the closure. I watched a few videos of harnessing a new pig and I purchased a pig specific style of harness but it won’t be here for another 2 weeks. Any advice on how you managed to get unruly young Coco into his first harness? Thoink you do much!

Hi and congratulations on your pig! I am so glad you have had a smooth transition, not always the case!

Yes, I definitely had to have Cocco step into the harness and it was NOT and still is not easy! You have to trick your pig by putting some treats in front of her and arranging the treats so that she has to step on the harness, at least in one of the holes! Might take a few tries and I have understood that peanut butter or something that requires some work is best 🙂

Hey there, I have been looking for a pet for my daughters and I for a while now (almost 3 and 4). They are allergic to cats and dogs and a bird doesn’t really give much play time potential. I came across the idea of mini pigs online and have a couple questions. I have read a lot of stuff about mini pigs online but my biggest concern is my youngest daughter. She is autistic and has a degenerative brain disease that will affect her legs confining her to a wheel chair as well as some cognitive decline. She is a very gentle, happy, and loving kid who loves to cuddle. with all animals she simply pets the ear or nose with one finger as to be gentle. I was just wondering if a pig would help her with sociability as kind of an autism pig as opposed to an autism dog that she would be allergic to? both my kids are very affectionate and very rarely scream, cry or have meltdowns, (knock on wood) so I wouldn’t be worried about the pig being stressed out from loud noises around the house. Would you think a pig would be a good fit for us?

I think a pig could possibly be an excellent fit for you. Most pigs just love to cuddle and would adore having a constant cuddle companion. That said, they are definitely a lot of work so you would need the time and attention to make sure the pig fits in with you, etc. I don’t know that a pig would help with sociability but I do think a pig could help form a special bond that you could easily foster. Pigs are not always the most social but do enjoy having a special person in their life that they can just cuddle up with under the blankets. If you are okay with all the time it takes to train a pig, I think it would be a wonderful idea.

I have a Juliana (named Kenobi) that is almost 5 months old. He weighs 40 pounds. I contacted the breeder and was told I was over feeding him. I was told that one of his litter mates is 14 pounds and another is 8 pounds. Is it possible I have over fed him this much? He was 8.3 pounds the day I brought him home at 10 weeks old. I have a hard time believing his litter mates are so small. Thanks for any input….

Hi there. If he was 8.3 pounds when you brought him home, he was on the bigger size for mini pigs at that age but not too uncommon. How much are you feeding him? It’s hard to follow a rule of thumb on feeding because it’s all about the pig’s appearance. A pig will always eat but that doesn’t mean he is hungry or even needs all that much. A pig can easily become overweight and that’s just as unhealthy as underweight but it doesn’t mean you are feeding too much. I can’t imagine you are overfeeding him so much unless you are giving him lots of table scraps or highly caloric food (fruits for instance). He might just be on the bigger size and 40 pounds at five months for a true mini pig is definitely on the bigger size! It’s just hard to say without having a little more info.

I just got a mini pig over the holidays. I have read a lot of information from the internet, but I have yet to find a book that has a lot of good information about mini pigs. Do you have one that you would recommend?

Also, my mini pig has started to bite. Whenever she wakes up, she starts squealing very loudly and will bite my feet or shoes and if i bend down to pet her, she will try to bite my hands. Is there any way that you would recommend disciplining this behavior? And also, do you know why she would be doing this?

I actually haven’t found a book that I would recommend, I’m sorry. I wish I had found one. I started this page in particular because I didn’t find any real truthful information about having a mini pig as a pet. If you come across something, please do let me know.

As for the biting, could it be that she is startled or frightened? When you approach her when she wakes up, talk to her gently first and pet her back, don’t go near her mouth. It might be that she isn’t sure what’s going on and is reacting.

hey! I love your page and have found it extremely insightful as we just got out first mini pig yesterday! So of course I’m new to this- I have a question about potty training- I put a wee wee pad in her litter box and I had one next to the Box because at first she went to the bathroom on the floor next to the box- the only time she would go in the box is if I pick her up and put her in it and now all I find her doing is peeing on the wee wee pad next to the box- I guess I have confused her? Are any pigs trained to go on just a wee wee pad without a litter box?

Thanks for your visit and nice comment! It could be that she is confused, yes. Also, is your litter box one she would have to kind of climb into or could she walk into it? What I would suggest, and not necessarily so easy, is getting a plastic litter box and kind of sawing off one of the smaller sides to walk right into. A ferret litter box is an option, though she will outgrow that sooner.

If she keeps going next to the litter box, try to move that soiled wee wee pad into the litter box and move the litter box to where the pad used to be. And if not, you could probably just have her go on the pad without the box as long as it doesn’t leak through to your floor!

In your correspondence I noted that some of you are having a difficult time putting a harness on your little piggers. I found a very easy way to put harnesses on the little ones. When they are in my lap & I am rubbing their tummy, they slip into a period of mellowness. The legs on one side are exposed. I easily slip a harness on the exposed side, & slip the other side in the harness while they get.up. It is then easy to snap & they rarely fuss. This trick also works when applying nail polish to hooves..

I have a question. My teacup is 9weeks now . He’s still on the bottle twice a day. But will not eat anything I feed him. I’ve tried the pellets, broccoli tomatoes, oatmeal, and popcorn. And he just will not budge ! What should I do?

Nine weeks is definitely more than old enough for your pig to be off the bottle. If you read through the Q and A on here, you’ll see many people have asked this and it helps to read the different responses to the same situation. What I would suggest is mixing the pellets with the milk and making it almost like a mush, starting with it very liquid-y at first and then very gradually making it more mushy and then eliminating the liquid after maybe a few weeks. It will take time and you will have to “trick” your pig so it’s almost like the pellets aren’t there in the beginning.

Hi, I got a teacup pig last week he is 5 weeks now and he has been giving this odor off that smells not so good and I was concerned on how to get rid of the smell?? He has also been trying to bite if I try to pet him, when he does do this I tell him no in a firm voice but I’m not sure if I’m giving it the right approach?

He is still pretty young so he is probably adjusting to life with you and needs to feel secure. He should not bite or be allowed to but give him a little time to adjust and take it on his terms. Approach him when he is sleeping or resting and pet his back and pet him as he allows, not by his mouth.

As for the odor, has he been neutered? Five weeks is early for any kind of odor…is it from his body or more like potty smell?

She has no problem with coming on our laps as long as we are on the floor. We got her the day after Christmas so I do understand she has not been in our environment very long. She is 6 weeks but is very head strong and not afraid of anything. This first time we picked her up, my husband tried to pet her and she appeared to lash out to bite/nip but I am sure that is due to her being very scared. The screaming has lessened but when she quiets down I put her down and tell her good girl, and then I will pet her to let her know that I am not trying to cause her misery. One site said to be careful with picking up the pigs because if they stress out too much it could cause cardiac arrest and I am not into that of course. I would appreciate any feedback that you can give me to help with this. I guess I would like to know about how long is to be expected before she will calm down and I do know that this is gauged by pig personality. We just want to be the best for her and also want to make sure she doesn’t think she is always going to get her way so to speak. Thanks with whatever suggestions. We love her so much and just want to cuddle on the couch not always on the floor! 🙂

Your pig biting while being picked up is most likely a reflex and out of fear, as you mentioned. As I wrote in the FAQ, it is a process and pigs are NOT comfortable being picked up. So if you decide to do it, you will have to be very patient and stick with it, definitely don’t put her down while she screams. It sounds like you are doing it right but it will take a while for her to feel safe. Please read the different tips I have added (covering her feet so they aren’t dangling, trying treats while she is quiet and being held) and see if that works. More than anything, it will take time and her feeling safe in your arms 🙂

I’m not saying that you will never be able to hold your pig, but my little Bandido is 9 months old now and I have never been able to hold him, he has never liked it. I tried everything there was known in the pig world to get him used to it, it wasn’t happening. But now that he is bigger 9 months 35lbs I really don’t want to hold him. But on the plus side of things, I still get piggy cuddle time on the couch every night, and now i get piggy kisses (whether I want them or not) and to me that is sooooo much better than to be able to hold my little guy 🙂 There are so many other joys to share with your pig, and their personality will over joy you.

hi i would just like to say that i am a breeder of julianna and micro piglets have been raising them for 4 yrs and luv it i socialize all my babies before they leave i have some at my friend gym with the kids and some indoors i take one away from mum at a time for about 2 hrs a day then put them back with mum pick them up bath them and get them eating out of a dish at about 4 weeks i have had them sitting for treats and turning left and right at 8 weeks it takes patience but its worth the time all of my babies have great homes and no transition problems have a inside outside pig of my own and she helps me do chores everyday and doesnt stray is good with everyone they do luv to be outside when the sun shining

Hi. My mini pig, Arnold, is about 18 months old now and is such a sweet, loving, cuddly companion. For the most part he is very well behaved. However recently he has started eating his blankets. Not just chewing but actually eating. I don’t care so much about the blankets but I am very worried that ingesting this is bad for him. Have you heard of this behavior and do you have any ideas about how to break him of it? I hate to take away blankets but I don’t want him to get sick. Thanks!!!

Hi, I’m so sorry to hear this. That is concerning! Is it possible he could be bored? Is it coming out the other end? If you can, try to take them away so he can stop this behavior and reintroduce them after a few days. If it happens again, keep them out longer.

Thanks – I will try that. It is certainly possible he could be bored although he has lots of company throughout the day. He has exhausted all the possible cabinets he can break into so maybe this is just more mischief. I will take them away for a couple of days and see what happens. I guess he may need supervised “blanket time”.

Good luck and supervised rooting/blanket time is a good idea! My colleague who was a vet tech mentioned that dogs that would eat their blankets would get impacted so definitely good to take them away for a while.

Yikes – that is what I’m afraid of. Strangely enough there are a couple of blankets he doesn’t seem to want to eat so I’m letting him cuddle with those while I’m watching him but I think I’ll even take those away when I’m not there. I certainly don’t want anything to happen to him!!!!

Hi, I know this site is more for doubts, but anyway, due work issues I can’t take care of my micropig anymore, I’ll be traveling a lot so I wont be here enough to take care of him, so if you know someone who can’t take care of him or an association please let me know.
Thanks

Hi again. I’m on the asking side this time! BessiePearl is 1 1/2 years old and her temperament has significantly changed over the last few weeks. Normally, Bessie is and always has been short tempered (pissy). I’m afraid I’ve given her far too much leeway to establish herself as Bossgirl. Ok.. that said..She is beyond a doubt exhibiting more aggressive behavior. I live in Virginia and the winter weather may be taking it’s toll. BessiePearl lives indoors and sleeps with me every night (90 lbs). She is free to stay inside or go outside (with her coat) at her will. Suddenly she is challenging me, nipping at me, and sassy-mouthing me. (If you have a pig, you’ll understand sassy-mouth sound). Also, I would like to transition Bess from indoor to indoor/outdoor pig. I have tons of sheltered areas. I would get her a heated shed for her comfort. All that said, she is used to indoors. Is there any way to make this transition?? Any advice on how to make it as smooth as possible?? Thank you

Hi again and thanks for your comment. I’m sorry to hear this. It is so frustrating and difficult to manage a change in a pig’s behavior. What is she challenging you about? Just in general or in specific situations? If it is recent maybe it is to do with less time to enjoy the outside. Did she used to graze a lot? If so, it might be that she is missing that and the extra calories that go along with grazing (and water). In that case, you can offer her more healthy treats during the day like bowls of lettuce and ice cubes (the sound makes me cringe but pigs love ice cubes). If it isn’t to do with that, has anything changed in her environment?

As for indoor/outdoor, it sounds like you have a perfect setup but in my opinion it might be less stressful for you and BessiePearl if you can wait maybe two or three more months until the weather is a little bit more helpful. I can’t imagine it would be hard to transition her when it’s nice out and she could graze and enjoy some warm sunshine but to do it in the middle of winter might be tough on her and it might make her not trust you. If you can wait until a more favorable time, she might even want to make this transition. Do you want her outside during the day or night? Is there a door she can access to get in/out or would you decide when? There are lots of factors but I do think it would be easier in early spring.

I can only tell you my story, what’s happened to me. Seems pigs are territorial and part of a hierarchy. They also seem to change behavior, not all but most.

My pig, Eugene Bacon was around me, my kids, kids friends etc. when he was 8 weeks old. Nothing changed, all of a sudden as he hit about a year old, he’s a jerk to everyone but me, scares people with his screams and grunts and charges. I can do anything to him, I am his love. I meet a man he becomes my boyfriend, now husband (took 2 years) and EB tolerates him, but he had to work very hard at it, gives him treats, feeds him, lotions him, spends much time with him. It hasn’t been perfect, EB still charges Kirk from time to time, but we have a water bottle and spray his face (he hates that haha) but keeps him in check and let’s him know who is boss.

My friend I met on instagram, she bought a pig down in San Diego, it was tight with her whole family, her husband was in the military, left for 9 month deployment and when he came back, her pig didn’t like him. And he was the one who was his pride and joy of her pig, but the dynamics changed. She moved back east, I don’t know what happened with their situation.

When I took EB to a boarding place when I moved a couple years ago (he kept eating my moving boxes haha) I saw about 8 pigs, a couple were so sweet, I’d try and walk up to others holy smokes they were mean, no way would I try again they made me very nervous.

In the pig world, there’s a king and his paupers, one’s in charge, so you have to make sure your pig knows who’s in charge !

BessiePearl is “irritable” all of the time lately. She challenges me at every single turn. Other than the weather and her age, nothing has changed in her environment. She seems to be generally dissatisfied. She is even challenging our (rottweiler/lab mix). I’m terrified of a horrible outcome. Why is she so defiant and fearless lately? I forgot to mention, she has started peeing on my (very expensive wide plank) hardwood floors. Always next to the kitty litter, as if she is trying to stay within the indoor bounds?

This may sound horrible, but I’m at my wits end and am considering adopting her out even though I’m pretty sure I would live a lifetime of what if’s.
Thank you for suggesting I wait for a milder climate to transition her to indoor/outdorr. Now I will most certainly wait until the weather breaks.

I’m so sorry. It is very frustrating to deal with a bored pig or one that is acting out. The peeing inside is the hardest thing to deal with and pigs seem to do that when they aren’t satisfied with whatever it may be. Coccolino has peed on the wood floor so much in one hidden area that I discovered it too late and it is forever stained and almost elevated!

Is there a way to keep your dog and pig separate? It doesn’t sound like a good relationship from what you say and one of them could end up badly.

I did not realize it was this bad. In that case, and if you are feeling desperate and helpless on what to do with her, perhaps you should try to acclimate her to an outdoor space. It sounds like you have everything to make this possible, I just worry about her becoming lonely or depressed due to a sudden change in the environment and in winter. But if this is the only case, she would most likely benefit from staying with you and you would most likely breathe a sigh of relief.

As for being bored, it is hard to keep a pig’s attention long enough and play time is often not tenable. The best way to keep a pig’s attention and keep a pig stimulated is with a food reward. So treat dispensing balls or something along those lines might help. Packing paper to shred, treats hidden around, a rooting box if you have a box big enough with plastic balls, etc.

First of all, I would like to thank you so much for always being here for all of us fellow pig parents. I think you are pretty amazing! We all truly do appreciate the time and effort you offer us.

Now… Seriously, I can’t live with BessiePearl and I can’t live without her. I’ve educated myself to extreme on every topic I’ve posted. Sometimes we really should be careful of what we ask for. I have always wanted a tiny pig. My whole life. They don’t exist as best as I can figure.

I work from home, so I am with Bess constantly. She lacks for absolutely nothing. I have pretty much changed my entire life/home to accommodate her. I’ve had ramps built, I bought a special huge”genie chair”, (2300.00) to accommodate her size, the list is endless!

If I could find a place that I KNEW she would be happy and well taken care of? I’d probably send her tomorrow.

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear this. I can imagine how frustrated and devastated you are. It sounds like you have been a wonderful parent, she is just a handful to say the least. I wish I could offer you some sort of help with finding her a wonderful home. The truth is, I hear of so many people each day wanting to surrender their pig or find them another home and there just aren’t enough. There are shelters for sure, there is just no guarantee how it will turn out plus that would be incredibly stressful on a pig 🙁

I can sense how much you love her…could you try to work on the outdoor accommodation now then instead of waiting until spring? She would be much better off with you, for sure, if you can find a suitable arrangement.

Sorry..I forgot to add… It is my belief that Bessie is just plain bored to pieces and nasty tempered due to inactivity? But what the heck can I do about that, here in winter time? Any ideas would be great.

Where you located Dove ? I saw this on the healthypigs.com website as much as I am disappointed in them for selling me a product and not following through with it (I bought deoderase) and this looks like something that might work for you !

$12.95
Bulky Lax Plus
•An extremely high source of fiber for your potbelly.
•A high quality source of necessary vitamins.
•Keeps stool in good condition.
•To be fed as a supplement on all feeds.
•Reduces likelihood of aggressive potbellied pigs. (Those that want to nip and snip.)
•Helps curb your pot belly’s appetite.

Hi! I just had a few questions:
I have an 9 week old micro-mini. I absolutely love her, but I had a few concerns..
I am having a lot of trouble with potty training. She will use her litter box in her pen, but then I will bring her to my room and she always goes to the bathroom behind my door, and I’m not sure how to train her that that is not okay. Also, she really hates bedtime, and i tried putting her in her pen the first few nights she was here (with a bed, lots of blankets and some toys and an area for rooting.. but she would squeal for hours and would not sleep unless I let her sleep in my bed. I don’t mind her sleeping there, its very sweet but I am just concerned that in the case I am traveling and have a pet sitter for her that she won’t want to sleep with me not there. Hope that makes sense:) Any suggestions?

Hi and thanks for your comment. So it sounds like she has found her spot 🙂 You need to avoid letting her roam loose in your bathroom. Either keep the door closed or only let her near that area after you have seen her go potty (and even then she might still do it!).

As for the sleeping with you, she is protesting and winning – and that’s fine if you are fine with it. Pigs will test the waters so her squealing is an effort to get your attention and affection and it’s wonderful she has this bond with you. But as you said, pigs do not like change. So if you do have to change the routine, you will have to prepare for a very difficult time for both you and her! If you do not think you will want to deal with that, break it now. If you think you really won’t be interrupting your routine too often, then you can do what feels right to you (letting her sleep with you). Just make sure you understand pigs are not good with change.

If you decide you want her to sleep in her little area, then you need to suffer the first few nights/week of protests. That means when she squeals you absolutely cannot go in and get her, as painful as it might be. She will never stop squealing if she knows you might come in after 20 minutes, or a few hours. So stay strong either way!

There is so much involved! My husband and I are 53 and 50. We really want to downsize from this huge home and property. While searching for homes I always have to begin with zoning! Am I able to bring my pig? If not, please don’t waste our time. It’s really hard. There are many perfect small homes for us, only to discover the zoning won’t allow pigs. But, one never knows, life intentions/plans could change at any moment. I’m crossing my fingers! Thank you again.

Please help; my daughter got me a mini pig for Christmas, I have wanted one for quite awhile. She was supposedly born on Oct 11 and she currently weighs 12 pounds. Her and my 9yr old son are pretty close friends. She likes to snuggle up next to him or on his lap while he watches tv and plays video games. But this morning she was next to him and he went to move and she tried to bite him, I instantly yelled at her and she ran off. Then this afternoon she was in his lap and he was going to move her to get up and she bit him in the stomach. She has done this to me once, right after we got her and I yelled at herand she’s not done it to me again. But she is making my son scared of her after the bite today and quickly destroying they’re friendshfriendship. What is the best way to stop this behavior?!?! Oh geez, she just tried to bite him again as I am typing this and he yelled at her and she took off a few steps and went right back and was gonna try to bite again!!!!! I can’t have this, PLEASE HELP ASAP!!!!!

The biting reaction is a very typical young pig instinct; it’s not necessarily malicious in nature. Either way, of course, you can’t allow it. Pigs do not like to be moved, let alone young and small pigs. They are fearful and only know how to bite as a defense mechanism. Here is what I would suggest for now: do not hold the pig on your lap or your son’s lap. Allow your pig to sit next to you guys and rub her belly but do not try to move her or pick her up. Put her bed/blankets on top of her and around her, next to you, so she will be comfortable and feel secure. Then sit down with her and bond that way. When you have to get up, she will not have to move.

If you do need to move her, just make sure she is positioned in a way that she cannot reach around and bite. Hold her legs secured in a blanket with her head on your elbow facing out so she can’t reach around.

If you notice her biting regardless of her sitting next to you, then you need to gently push her snout to the side and say “no bite” firmly. Do not push hard and DO NOT make her scared as it will worsen things. Just establish that you are “top pig” and not her. Same with your son. Make sure he doesn’t try to hold her or put her in a position that will require him to move her.

Also, if I may… Pigs DO NOT like sudden movements. As they are prey animals, their instinct is to run (and scream). I simply would not allow (at this point) the behavior that is creating your pig’s tendency to bite. Don’t allow her on the sofa, etc.. It is far easier to reinforce good behavior with a pig rather than punishing bad. Also, pigs are incredibly sensitive. She knows by you screaming at her that not only has she displeased you but she really doesn’t understand why! A pig is FARRRR different from a dog. I suspect that she does not have complete trust in your son. My female pig absolutely adores me. (She also continues to test me each day). She, however, is a nervous wreck around the men in my life.
Although they go very far out of their way to endear themselves to her, she simply is afraid of them. Size? Voice? Boots? I’ll never know.

Why don’t you consider going all the way back to basics? Piggy is in her own small space with visitations? See how she reacts when you visit vs. your son. Could be interesting.

we have just purchased a mini pot belly pig 1 week ago and it is 7 weeks old and doing very well, already trained to go outside and coming in right to her bed which is up 3 steps from our kitchen. we are just wandering one thing about her food and water dishes, where the best spot for them is. Do we keep them in with her bed or by the door when she comes in? If you could help with this that would be great.

That’s great that she is doing so well! You can keep her water and food dishes near her bed, as long as she isn’t spilling them. Sometimes pigs get bored and will knock over all their water, making a big mess. If your pig isn’t doing that, you can choose a spot and stick with it to avoid change for your pig. Anywhere is completely fine!

…and also another thing I forgot to mention about the harness..is it good to keep it on them or not. It doesn’t seem to bother her when she is in her bed and she looks so cute in it but maybe you have a better idea. Thanks Jason

As for the harness, if you are using a lead with her harness, it will probably be easier to keep it on all day and take it off at night however if you leave the house always take it off. Pigs get into things and you wouldn’t want to risk the harness getting stuck on something so it’s not safe to keep it on if you aren’t nearby. Otherwise, keep it on as long as you are home!

I have a 5 month old mini pig who is extremely spoiled. At night, he needs to sleep in the bed with us or he will scream, so we let him up. Now he wakes up 5-10 times a night wining for more food or more water. It’s really difficult to resist because we’re so tired. We aren’t sure where to go from here because we can’t get a good nights sleep anymore. HELP!

As a 17 year piggy mom, I will tell you what has worked for me. I keep her crate beside my bed. My baby is 11 mos. now, but if she squeels, I firmly tell her NO, & I don’t back down. She learned quickly. Recently she has developed a unique squeel for when she needs to get to her litter box in the morning. I just open her door, all stays quiet & we both go back to sleep.

Yes it’s very difficult. Once you give in to the screaming once, you will keep getting it! The only way to avoid this is to ignore his painfully loud screams (I know, it’s nearly impossible) or move him to another room where you can’t hear him. Just don’t give in or he will keep doing it! I would suggest another room where he can’t see you.

Hi, we just had our first litter of mini pigs a few weeks ago. I have spent time with them just about every day since they were born and they are still scared to death! I’m not letting them go to their new homes untill they are at least 8 weeks old, so I still have a couple of weeks left with them. I really need help on socializing them, I really don’t want them going to their new homes not being friendly! They are outside in a pen with their momma and I try to take them out 1 by 1 in a small pen with me, they’ll come up to me but wont eat any of the treats I try to give them (they are 4 weeks old). Any Advise?! I’m just worried their new parents wont want them if they aren’t friendly. I’ve read that a lot of breeders take them off their mommas early and bottle feed them, but I don’t believe that’s the right thing to do. any help would be great!!! – See more at: http://myminipetpig.com/contact-me/#comment-94338

I really appreciate that you don’t want to take them away from nursing. It is so important to a pig’s health and well being to nurse as long as possible, definitely 8 weeks. So that’s an admirable choice, really the only one, despite any difficulty it is causing.

At four weeks old, many pigs don’t respond to treats. They just don’t know what to do with them and aren’t ready to eat them. So don’t encourage them to try, especially while still nursing. The best thing you can do is just spend time with them as you are doing. Instead of bringing them in a small pen, try to bring them inside or away from sight/sound of the mom and siblings. Spend a while with them. They might squeal, they might scream, you need to work past this and you have to work past this with each one. They are not staying with you so ultimately it is up to the new parents but any help will surely be a long step to help them adjust to their new home.

So take them away from sight of the others and just spend time holding them on your lap, tight and wrapped nicely in a blanket, and pet them and talk softly. They might not like it and you don’t want to force it but they might relax more if they are on their own with you. So just let them come up to you and pet them and rub their bellies. If you are doing it in sight of their mom/siblings, I think you will have a lot of luck away from them and just on your own with the pig!

Hi Jason, yes, as the others said, pigs just like to knock over what they can! I like to leave a bowl of water out all the time, but only with a little in at a time also because Coccolino only drinks during his meals for the most part. If you can get a no-slip bowl, that would be best. Otherwise, just offer water throughout the day and pick up the bowl if she doesn’t drink it so you can avoid the mess!

I have found that piggys tend to play with whatever is handy. Mine tends to push her empty food bowl around as though it were a toy car, just missing the zoom-zoom noise. She also likes to lift one side of her metal bowl & let it bang against the floor until we take it away from her. She also will open the lower cupboard doors & let them make a noise when they close. The funniest thing she has done was to remove pans & skillets from the cupboard & push them around, flip them & let them bang on the floor – just as a toddler would play. Normally I don’t allow her to investigate the cabinets since I am home with her almost all of the time & keep her busy with other toys & games. I just wanted to see what she would do when left to her own devices. She is crated when I am gone, so she is supervised all of the rest of the time. We have been piggy parents for 17 yrs., so wasn’t surprised with her own play.

My husband just got me a mini-pig for Valentines Day. I am so excited, and I love him, but I do have some questions and concerns.

He is only 2 weeks old. I’ve been reading that he was weaned WAY too early, so that upsets me, but alas… I have him anyway, and nothing I can do about it now.

Currently, we are feeding him 1/4 cup cheerios and 1/4 milk, mixed together to make a “mush” or “soup.” Is that too much, too little, not appropriate? We will introduce him to the pig pellets slowly probably in a week or so, still mixed in with milk. Should I be supplementing that right now with vegetables during the day, or is he too young? He seems to get kind of antsy and hungry around midday, but I do NOT want to start out overfeeding him. I don’t want him to be underfed either though.

Also, everything I have been reading says that I need to supply my pig with lots of fresh water. He has absolutely no interest in drinking water at all. Is that normal? Will he get dehydrated?

I will be putting him in a spare room in our basement while we are gone at work, complete with all his essentials and toys, etc. But we are a working couple. When we are home, we will be free roam in the house, but I am afraid he will be bored while we are at work. Any suggestions for things I can put in his room to keep him entertained? The plan is for as he grows older to keep him in the room as well- will that be ok with him, or will he get mean and mad that he is being cooped up in a room? It’s a decent sized room, but not full run of the house or outdoors.

Also, he is doing very well with litter box training while he is in his crate… he goes into it and pees and poos, and while he is out of his crate, we pick him up and set him back in his litter box every hour or so. but one other question I had was… do I need to supply him with a litter box outside his crate too while he is this young? How would you go about that?

Hi there. Wow, yes, two weeks is way too early but as you said, it’s done. At this age, he really needs a milk replacement (not cow’s milk). You should find a vet asap that sees pigs because his health at this age is very fragile and if he isn’t nursing, he needs the next best thing. Often country stores (Tractor Supply, for example), carry nursing replacements. He needs that and at this age he needs it often, more often than twice a day. You need to consult a vet on this as he may not thrive without it.

He is probably not interested in the water since he is getting milk but like I said he needs more like a goat’s milk or milk replacement formula.

Pigs are really not the best pet if they are left alone all day. They may become bored or lonely and that might result in destructive or aggressive behavior. There is not much to keep him entertained at this point (he shouldn’t have too many treats yet) but make sure he has lots of blankets on a bed. It’s not the size of the room or area, it’s really him being alone that might be the hardest thing. At two weeks old, he should not be alone as he should be feeding more often throughout the day. Like I said, a vet needs to be consulted since he is so young.

If he is doing okay with his litter box, I think you shouldn’t change it or add another one since it might confuse him! Just keep directing him to the same one.

Good luck and please check that he is getting the nutrition he needs. I am not a vet so I cannot advise but I do know that it’s essential they get the nutrition they need this young.

Do you know of any mini pig forums? I have seen them for farm pigs and potbelly pigs but none so far for the teacup/micro/mini pigs. Most everyone who is familiar with potbelly pigs does not believe that the mini pig exists or argues that they are sickly underfed runts with medical problems. I have been searching for growth charts that may predict the adult weight of my babies and to assure me that we’re on the right track but have had almost no success. I have been keeping the monthly weight of both my pigs since I’ve had them and have a growth chart of my own. Bentley is currently 26.6 pounds and 1.5 years old. Hazel is 14 pounds and 1 year old. They both eat 1/2 cup food 2 x daily with snacks. Hazel eats a bit more because she’s more active and seemed to be losing weight. There are also very few pictures to show you what a healthy weight looks like in these guys. A little common sense goes a long way but if you’re a paranoid piggy mom like me, you want to make sure you get everything “just right”! I have constant questions and want regular interaction with other piggy parents to be able to really learn, make new discoveries, pass on what I’ve learned, and shed some light on a topic that’s been met with so much criticism and unknowns. If you have been getting any requests on this topic, please let me know! Thanks!!

Hi – I know what you mean! I have often thought about adding a forum to my website since I cannot seem to find the right place to discuss mini pigs. The right place as in not a judgmental place. You are right that there is a lot of judgment and controversy out there regarding mini pigs. All I know is that if you are a responsible pig parent and your pig is vet-checked at least annually, you should follow his/her guidelines.

So, that said, no! I have not found a forum specifically for mini pigs other than some Facebook groups but even those are stock full of people criticizing one another. I don’t like to participate; I take very good care of Coccolino and don’t want anyone telling me otherwise since it’s quite ridiculous to judge another without even seeing/knowing.

I’m sorry I’m not able to help more. It really is a touchy and sensitive subject and I wish there were a safe place to discuss it but I have yet to find one!

Thank you for your response. I thought about what you said and I am going to give the forum my best shot. I’m not much of a writer and my knowledge of these guys is still in the learning phase but I think it’s important to provide a safe space for pig parents. If anyone is having trouble locating a forum like this would you mind sending them over? I imagine it will take a while to develop any real traffic but maybe if it takes off, someone else can take it over. http://miniaturepigs.boards.net is the forum and it requires someone to become a member before posting so hopefully with a little diligence, any nay sayers can be booted. Thanks for your website! It has given me many helpful hints over the past year 🙂

Hi there we used to have a miniature Pig that we had for 10 mths who we spoilt rotten and trained great. Sadly we had to move over sea due to family ill health and so our much loved trained piggy went to a a kiddies petting farm where he is with other pigs. It has been 7mths now and we have returned and would love our piggy back. In this time he has grown heaps obviously not on a mini pig diet but well looked after and our piggy still remembers us and sat for a carrot when I saw him. But my question is will my piggy settle back with us without other pigs around and will I be able to teach a old pig new tricks!!! or should we start over again with a new baby as I don’t want to make our piggy unhappy?

Hello and sorry for the delay as I’ve been away! That is so wonderful that you want your pig back. I think he would LOVE to go back with you. Pigs are so smart. I am sure he would need a short adjustment period to get back to being with your family and following rules again but my guess is that he would be truly happy and grateful to be back with you.

we live in Australia and our piggy went to a kiddies petting farm. Where he is happy. Even though I’m sure it would have been a shock at first becoming a pig pig and not a house pig with his own warm blanket bed, shampoo and conditioned 3 times a wk etc. We go and see him but did not end up bring him home on our return as he settled with new piggy friends. We have since got ourselves another piggy who is just if not more spoilt. Its was one of the hardest things to let him go due to having to move I hope you find a nice home for your baby ox

That is very hard! Your pig honestly might not know how to eat on his own. You can try to squirt the syringe food into your hand to get him to eat it off your hand (almost tricking him) and then very gradually you can do it into a flat plate so he is still almost tricked into eating it. This will be very gradual so have patience but it should work with a little time.

Hi, our pig Tilly’s eyebrow hairs are really long.. can we trim them shorter? Also what is the best way to clean her eyes from eye junk? Do you recommend anything from the pharmacy for dry skin, we are using baby lotion but read this may not be good for her.

Hi, we are adopting our first pet pig on Saturday. He is 4 months old and neutered. The question is: Can we bathe him the first day? I’m highly allergic to dogs and he currently lives with them. I don’t want to bring the dog dander into my house and most likely I would react to the poor piggy. I’m worried I’ll traumatize him doing this but it is necessary…

Also, do male pigs grow large tusks? My husband was asking me and it occured to me that I never thought about it!

Hi there. You can definitely bathe your pig the first day you get him, just be aware that he will be extremely frightened from the journey and new environment. As long as you are aware of this, there is no need to avoid bathing him, just be patient!

Whether or not your pig will have tusks really depends on the breeder so check with them. Good luck!

Usually pigs and cats get along very well. Pigs and dogs sometimes don’t get along. I wouldn’t recommend leaving a pig for very long alone as they are social animals and might get lonely or possibly destructive when bored. They can be left, I just wouldn’t recommend it at all!

Oooh I wish I could help you but I’m not aware of the international laws or where to find a mini pig in London. I do know people have contacted me from all over Europe, including the UK, but I’m just not sure of any specifics!

hello
Where did you get your piglet? I’m very interested in purchasing one , but am little nervous, i live in Chicago do you know any reliable breeders? If i get a female would she swell up after getting her spayed like other animals do?

Hi, we were just wandering if we can train our mini pig at 12 weeks old that has never been in a crate or cage yet to start going into one at night. She has been good thus far and goes to the door when she needs out but we are thinking when we go away for a period of time and do not want her wandering the house. We have tried a baby gate in our hallway but unfortunately did not work for she jumped over it…which hits the term yes pigs can fly lol. Please let me know if this is possible or any other suggestions you might have.
Thanks Jason

Hi Jason, wow I cannot believe your pig jumped over the gate! That isn’t normal or healthy for a pig’s body definitely not something you will want to continue 🙂

You can do crate training at night though except a fight as pigs do not like to be caged up. Also, at that age, pigs need to have access to a litter box and water so in a crate that would be tough. What I would recommend is a little enclosed play yard so there is more space for a litter box on one side and a water bowl too. You can find zippered play yards that are closed on all sides and that works well and will be more enjoyable and less of a fight from your pig!

Hi again, we have found your site so very helpful so I hope you don’t mind all the questions we have for our pig Tilly. Now the nice weather is here the last 3 days she has been outside grazing and digging up our lawn and we are wandering if there is a time limit for outside. She is probably outside for 6 hours, we do put sunscreen on her and lots of water and she really enjoys the outdoors. Can we leave her out all day eating grass(what is left) and whatever else she is digging up?

Hi Jason, I don’t mind at all! As long as Tilly is protected against the sun, has water and seems happy, she should be able to enjoy all the time she wants 🙂 Coccolino spends almost all day outside (we have mostly shade) and he gets fresh water every couple of hours or more often if necessary. If it’s not too hot, let her enjoy. The only important thing to remember is that pigs need the water to cool down as pigs don’t sweat. So, yes, it’s perfectly fine!

ive had my mini pig 2days now and I have let her come to me only really pet her but when she stared coming to me she sniff and kinda nips at my fing and then my leg is that normal will she do that a lot ??

She might just be testing the limits a little. If she is nipping and not biting, it sounds like she is just understanding her surroundings. However you don’t want to encourage that so just make sure you aren’t approaching her with your finger out. Keep your hand in an open palm and let her smell it before you try to pet her. She shouldn’t keep this up.

Hi again, so we are in a little predicament and wandering if you have any suggestions. We got our pig at 6 weeks old, she came straight from her mom and was in a shelter like setting off a main barn which was shared with her siblings and mom and dad and a couple mini goats. Now we have her home and housed trained for about 12 weeks now sleeping on a “classy” bed beside our couch in the living room is it possible to put her back into that environment again. The reason for this is that we will be doing some camping this summer and can not take her along for there would not be any grass left at the camp ground. She is getting spaded this week so that will not be an issue. It will only be 3-4 days at a time and there are people that would play with her and feed her. Our question is would she enjoy this change or traumatize her?

With the nice weather, she will most likely adjust easier than if it were cold out. However keep in mind she will have a very hard time going from an indoor living situation with people around to just having visitors every once in a while as she is alone. Pigs do not do well on their own for too long as they get lonely and bored.

What I would suggest is trying to have her be half-in, half-out. So get her used to some longer periods outside (of course in a safe, enclosed space, preferably with lots of grazing area), and then bring her in. Maybe let her spend some hours outside, always with water, and then sleep inside. And then the next day have her spend longer outside, bring her in for some quality time, and then have her sleep outside. She will most likely have a hard time in the beginning but the sooner the better if this is what you decide to do.

Previously we had a regular pot belly pig who vacationed with us. She could jump up into the truck floorboard, just like she saw the big dogs do. She was much larger than our minis and was about 125 labs. Just a fun fyi. Also another time all of the animals were running thru the house in a spurt of energy. The pig trailed the dogs and also leapt from the third stair up, across the entryway, and landed on living room carpet. YES they can and do fly! Enjoy.

Hi! Thank you for all of the great information on this website! We just picked up our first mini pig a few days ago, and he is five weeks old and doing great so far. He squeals when being picked up of course but likes being held to nap and is eating and drinking well.

However, when he’s awake, he seems to be getting kind of bored. I have him in a play pen since I’m not ready for him to have access to the whole house and to our dogs yet, but now that he’s more comfortable he is starting to get curious and into trouble. Are there toys you recommend for them or something to help keep them entertained? I got him a few stuffed toys and he will lay on them, but they don’t keep him stimulated and out of trouble.

Hi and thanks so much for your message. Congrats on your pig doing so well – the squealing gets better!

Pigs don’t often play with toys. Some do, but most prefer food stimulating toys. The best idea is a dog mini Kong toy that you can fill with frozen peanut butter or a dog treat ball that you can fill with some pellets or something to make them work for it. Make sure he has some blankets to root into and see if you can give him some designated alone time after he goes potty to roam around.

Hi I have two pigs both of which I love very much! More recently Penelope has started to have a white discharge coming from her vagina and a few times her pee has had a red tint.. is this her pms’n ? She also shows signs of bitchy-ness very annoying when she doesn’t get her way and very much a mama’s girl always needs to be attached to me.
Thanks 🙂

Hi and thanks for your message 🙂 I’m assuming she isn’t fixed? If not, that might explain it though you should check with the vet about your pig’s discharge. The attitude is a sign of not being fixed though and it might be worth it to do that; pigs’ behavior is much better when they are fixed!

I know this is random but I’m a little worried about my 10 month old potbelly pig she got into her food and are prob too much food her belly is hard and larger then normal any advise for me? I have a call into the vet but no answer yet. She knocked over a table to get her food and I was not home. Can’t find anything on line about what to do hoping you could help and ease my mind.

Hi Sara. Pigs just eat and eat, gobbling up whatever they can. I hope her stomach feels better now and hopefully the vet has gotten back to you but on several occasions Coccolino has gotten into a bag of dog or cat food that was accidentally left on the floor (a big bag) and has eaten almost the whole thing before I found him. It takes a little time to digest and pass but hopefully it will be fine for your pig!

I have a just-shy of 2 month old male mini pig named Ziggy. He was not well socialized when we got him, he lived in a barn with his littermates. That being said, he’s doing remarkably well. We can hold him (my husband even holds him upside down), touch his hooves and snoot, and carry him around. He knows “come,” and is almost completely outside potty trained. He nips a little, not hard, like a puppy does, but seems to be catching on that he can’t do that with a little pinch to the nose and a firm “NO.”

He just does not seem to play, though. What are your thoughts on this? In the yard, he will not leave our side, and he gets stressed out and chases us if we walk around. He has ZERO interest in his toys. He will root around for treats in a blanket, but that’s about it. Balls, animals, squeakers, or anything that doesn’t feed him (even the dog!) is of no interest to him!

My mini pig, Bacon, is about 3 1/2 years old now. He is about 35lbs now and I am assuming he won’t be growing much more. He’s actually very dense but he’s lean- I don’t think he is overweight since he’s a pretty solid boy and only shows a belly after drinking a lot of water. I have been feeding him the Mazuri Youth brand pellets, and only now have come to realize that I may have to switch him over to adult food. This is where I am at a state of confusion; he likes to sleep all day and doesn’t get a lot of exercise so I am reluctant on getting the Mazuri Active Adult as I think it may make him gain more weight. Would you recommend I get the Mazuri Elder instead? I have been feeding him a 1/4 cup twice a day, should I continue feeding him the same amount?

Thank you for any suggestions you may have! Bacon really is such a sweet boy I just want to make sure to keep him healthy

Hmmmm. I’m wondering and a little concerned about him sleeping all day. I think napping is fine but perhaps not all day sleeping. Just my opinion, but I think Bacon needs not only more food but also a variety of veggies and fruit. If he doesn’t love water, add ice cubes and he’ll think he’s eating food! He may be dehydrated and underfed. Good luck.

Hi Anya, thanks for your message. I think that Bacon needs a bit more food but it’s hard to say as each pig’s diet depends on their stature and health (you do not want to see a pig’s bones but agree that the belly should not be big). Only a vet can say for sure, however. I wouldn’t recommend Mazuri Elder at this point as he is too young but again a vet should consult with you to be sure. Lots of veggies are good too, he might just need some more energy that calories can help with but Coccolino also sleeps most of the day!

Dear Everyone..due to circumstances beyond my control, I must place my sweet pig. Can anyone help me? I’ve contacted SO many sanctuaries/refuge/rescue with no luck. She’s my angel. She is 2 years old, perhaps 110 pounds. She has her own doggie door and sleeps with me each night. Although my heart is breaking, I have no choice but to give her away. I’ll be happy to contribute financially toward her care. She lives happily with 2 dogs and a cat as well as children. Thank you for any advice!

Thank you for always being here for all of us. Your advice has been way more than valuable. I’m pretty sure you’ve changed lives for the better. Thank you again.

I do not have a facebook account. Really? I just want to send the love of my life to you! Will you take her? I’m sure you’re wigging out at my audacity! I need help, which is hard to ask for but I’ll do anything I can for Bessiepearl! I’m feeling desperate and I don’t know what to do. I’m sorry.

I’m so happy to be able to help. I wish I could take her but I’m so overdone with my little kids, Cocco, cat and puppy! I know how hard it is to find someone and I really hope she finds a loving forever home. Pigs end up in shelters and it is hard for them but I know you love her so much and I really hope someone can step in!

So happy to find this site. We brought home our first pet pig today, adding to 3 dogs and 1 turtle. She is only 5 weeks old and, boy, is she terrified. I have her in a little dog kennel right now with a rooting blanket and a bowl of fresh water. She rode home in my arms and fell asleep after overcoming the jumping, squealing and snorting. Once we got home, we let her sniff around the back yard. It was near impossible to get her back up and inside to the kennel. I gave her about half an hour to herself before talking sweet to her and offering up a pellet of her food. She jumped and squealed and spilled the water! Ha! I want to love on her and reinforce that she is safe. I’m just curious of how long to wait before trying to feed her, if I need to move her to a bigger spot.. (I ordered a play pen type thing that will be here on Saturday.) I just want to do everything right! Its scary and stressful but she is so precious to me already.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Kristen..I am SO excited for you! Mere suggestions from me would be to allow her a bit more space (maybe a small bathroom?) and leave her water and just a little food down. I would sit with her very quietly, making only soothing sounds. You need to gather all of your patience at this important time! Perhaps have a special treat like small pieces of grape to tempt her. Try to make sure she eats from your hands. Don’t even try to pick her up for a few days. Just concentrate on soothing her. If you can get your hand near her tummy, rub it. She may just drop for you! She’ll know you love her very soon. Patience Patience Patience! Soon she’ll be trying to be the boss of your house! Haha Welcome aboard.

Dove had some great advice. You need to be patient with pigs, especially when they are so young and still barely know what a treat is. Sit quietly and let her come to you and let her feel safe. As for letting her outside, you need to get some sort of enclosure or else she will run away if she doesn’t feel safe or understand the benefits (perhaps a treat) of coming to you when called. Her space doesn’t have to be huge, especially while potty training, but it should have enough room for bowls, bed and litter box on the opposite side. Pigs love to spill their water bowls over so you can try to find a suction bowl that sticks to the floor or just leave small amounts of water in there. Good luck!

Hey its me Braedyn i just want you first time buyers to know dont buy off facebook i bought mine and the women who had them havent even feed them plus the were the underage line of legal to sale so …..

Hi, we have a 1 year old female mini pig named Stella. She is precious most of the time. Lately she has become very aggressive towards guests and nips at their toes. And although she is potty trained she is having accidents around the house and I am not sure why….is she showing us that she is upset with us? She has her own space in the house for when we are not home and she is only alone for a few hours at a time. can anyone help with any of these issues? I would much appreciate it.
Michele C

Hi Michele, thanks for your comment. This same thing happened to Coccolino too. Is there any chance food is involved or nearby when she is nipping or acting aggressive? Cocco is very gentle but any time I have guests, even family members, and there is food out, I put him in his room. I would suggest keeping your pig put away or at least gated off while you have guests as she might be uncomfortable with the change or she might just not want them there. Pigs don’t like any change at all, even temporary, so to prevent her from feeling upset, it might be best to keep her away. I understand that isn’t desirable but you would rather her put away when guests are around than risk them getting hurt.

Also, as for the accidents, is she trained to go outside or in a litter box? If she is going in a litter box, she might just want to go outside instead. If she does go outside and is having accidents inside, she might simply be too lazy to wait. Coccolino does this too. Also, keep in mind that pigs will revisit the spot of their accident over and over again, even if cleaned. So try to keep your pig away from where she is having accidents or “accidents” since she will likely do it again instinctually.

Hi, thanks for responding. Stella is litter trained and does pretty well with it as long as it is in sight of her, but you are right she is definitely going to the same spot all the time. We are actually getting new flooring with in the next month hopefully this will deter her from having accidents. On the same note, I will definitely make some changes when guests are over so she is not so stressed out. She loves being outside as well. We got her, her own little pig pen so she would have her own space and she is loving it when we are out there. she also is going for walks a much as we can take her. thanks for the advice love your website!
I will keep you updated….
Michele

Hi Michele, I’m glad to hear she loves going outside. That can be helpful when you have guests when the weather is good. That way she won’t feel as though it’s punishment when guests are over. As for your flooring, new flooring should definitely help the problem but I would also start a new routine when you get it or right before. Only let her have free roam or access to that area where she is having accidents after you know she has gone to the bathroom. If it helps, you can teach her to go potty on command, so to speak, and give her a treat when she does. Then let her have time to roam. If she doesn’t go, just keep her away from that area if possible. You don’t want her keeping up her habit on your new floor! Thanks again for your comment and good luck 🙂

Even with new flooring you may find she continues to go in the same spot, either due to scent (saturated under flooring) or just memory. Either try keeping her from the room or just from the area by moving a large/heavy piece of furniture over that spot after thoroughly cleaning it. What has been a super helpful mixture is baking soda for smell and vinegar for disinfectant, I also saw on here where someone used lemon juice, also works for disinfectant and smell.

I can not tell you how thankful I am that I found your website! I adopted a Juliana pig 5 days ago. She is almost 8 months old. She lived with a family but they could not keep her. She started showing signs of aggression within the first day of bringing her home. She has gotten better and I have really been working with her to show that I am in charge. She has a kennel downstairs and a gated area with her litter box and some toys. I am planning to make her a rooting box tomorrow. My question is how long should we keep her in her own space? My husband and I have 2 Boxers and we have not formally introduced them yet. They have looked at each other through the gate and sniffed one another and I always allow them downstairs when I’m down there. I think she has done better because she’s starting to feel secure. We are planning to make her gated area larger as soon as our new gate arrives. She will have about 60 square feet of space with all of her things in there. How long should she stay in there? We go down there often and get in the pen with her and play. I just don’t feel comfortable letting her walk around the house yet. She showed signs of aggression with one of my dogs the first time she met him. He is older and I worry about her biting and hurting him. She also tends to have some bad behavior and I like being in close quarters so I can correct her behavior immediately.

I don’t want to keep her secluded forever though. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated! Secondly, she grinds her teeth ALL DAY LONG! She doesn’t appear to have anything stuck in them. She’s just grinding them. It’s driving me absolutely INSANE! Is there something I can do to help her?

She is not fixed yet. We plan to get her fixed though. When will she start going into “heat”? Do you recommend her being fixed? I don’t like the idea of her bleeding everywhere and she’s already a little on the moody side and I read that females tend to get moody and sometimes aggressive when they are bleeding.

I know I’ve rambled forever! I apologize. I feel that I have no where to turn with all of my questions. I’ve wanted a pig forever and now that I have one I feel pretty overwhelmed. I attempted to contact the people who sold her to me but they haven’t returned any of my phone calls.

That was a very kind and brave thing to do, taking in a pig that was in need of a home. Remember first and foremost that pigs are not good or comfortable with change so her aggression is surely a result of the new environment. Even changing the placement of a bed can throw off a pig’s sense of security so you are doing the right thing being patient and working with her.

She should not be introduced to the dogs for a while. Let them sniff each other at a safe distance as you’re doing and I would also suggest putting in a dog blanket or bed with your pig so she can get used to their scent and doing the opposite for your dogs. It is not always safe for dogs and pigs to be together and only when you are there but you can work up to it.

Do not let her have free roam for a while. It will take her quite a while to adjust to her new home and family and you need to make sure you bond with her so she trusts you and knows you are in charge. Sit with her and spend time in her little space. Very gradually, and only after you’ve seen her go potty, let her walk around a little more space. Then put her back in her room. Do not let the dogs in when you do this. They might not be able to meet for a while.

It is VERY normal and VERY frustrating when a pig grinds teeth, especially when they are young. It is so irritating! Not much to do, this is part of their process and you can give her snacks and even ice to soothe the teething but I cannot say it will stop…eventually it will or you just won’t notice anymore 🙂

100% get your pig fixed. A pig that is not fixed lets off terrible odors not to mention the behavior. Consult a vet asap as you want to get her fixed soon (your vet will have to advise you when).

I hope this helps. Good luck and stay patient! Pigs will give a lot of love back once they know they are loved and protected.

i have a 9 week old micro pot belly pig named stella and i just got her two days ago and she like 5 lbs and every site i have been on tells me to feed her 1/2 cup of food per 25 lbs. Stella isnt 25 lbs yet so how much am i suppose to feed her then??

You can start with 1/4 cup twice a day with some snacks in between if your pig is still so little. You just need to make sure she is getting enough nutrition; every pig is different. It is best to consult a vet to make sure.

Hello,
I have a 9 month old Juliana named Moto. She is an indoor pig but does enjoy going outside to graze and go to the bathroom. She used to use the dog door to go outside and come in but she no longer will use it to go outside (not sure why since she always comes in through it). A little over a month or so ago she started peeing inside on the carpet. It was only here or there and she knew she wasn’t supposed to so we’d just hurry her outside. Now she is constantly peeing on the carpet but it is only at night or early in the morning. I will take her out every hour and give her a treat after I watch her pee. Sometimes she’ll come right back inside and pee on the carpet 5 minutes later. I can’t figure out why she started doing this and why it’s only at night . There’s a light so she can see and we’ll always be outside with her. She used to use a literbox but she did not like it and wanted to go outside instead. I am going to try and introduce the literbox again but I don’t know what else to do. Please help!

Well this sounds just like our Cocco. To the point that we have now removed the huge area rug since it didn’t smell clean even after using a professional grade carpet cleaner.

Pigs like to find their “place” to go potty and unfortunately it’s usually something soft like a carpet or rug. The problem is, it’s a hard habit to curb because if they go there once, they tend to return because of the smell they have left. The only way to fully ensure your pig stops having “accidents” there is to block her from entering that space.

Something else that sometimes works to stop pigs from having accidents repeatedly in the same place is to put some kind of treat right on top of the (cleaned up) area where she went. She might be confused and instead associate it with a yummy treat instead of an accident spot.

Some pigs are simply lazy and are asking for some kind of attention if they go, especially in front of you. Moto still doesn’t have complete control of her bladder but she should almost be there so her behavior is either laziness or asking for attention…

Hello and thanks for checking! I am awaiting the arrival of my baby so I have temporarily closed it. However you can contact me directly with any questions or to see about a ready to ship item: myminipetpig @ gmail . com

Hello, We have a one-year-old mini pig who we’ve had for about just as long. Just recently, he has been waking up at around 5:00 am crying and whining in his room. This is pretty unusual because I regularly wouldn’t feed him breakfast until 7:00. We first thought it was his food, so we started giving him something more appropriate for his age. We’ve just gotten new housemates, and I am afraid that he will wake them up. We’ve